Undercover Lovers
by Celeste.J.Evans
Summary: Kate and Rick find themselves in various undercover situations. (The M-Rated companion is available). 16. Normal
1. Superheroes

**I'm back from my little hiatus with a new one-shot series just for you. Undercover Lovers follows Kate and Rick as they find themselves in various situations where they aren't themselves. There will be a companion piece to this (also called Undercover Lovers) which is M-Rated featuring Kate and Rick roleplaying so make sure you're following me so you can get updates on that if you're interested. I'll also be updating Armed and Dangerous in the next few weeks so be on the lookout for that. **

**I'm also going to say that this series is to be featured on my blog every monday so check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **when you get the chance (it also features weekly guest posts and book reviews from awesome authors).**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

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"Alright thanks." She tucked her phone into her shirt and continued her careful perusal of the area around them. The floor was crowded and frankly smelt a little too much of pizza and sweat but the guard at the door had mentioned something about being over capacity and only letting them in on official police business as a favor. She was inclined to believe him; there was barely room to walk let alone enjoy the festivities at the convention.

"How can people enjoy these things?" She'd meant it to be a quiet utterance but three separate groups of people glared at her before looking her up and down approvingly and apparently deciding to forgive her. She rolled her eyes. "And how can they do it wearing these costumes?" Resisting the urge to reposition her breasts so they were no longer falling out was proving difficult as yet another pudgy-faced kid whistled at her from behind.

Beside her, her boyfriend scoffed, hooking his arm in hers as they maneuvered the crowds like he was proud of his slutty girlfriend. "This coming from the woman who went as Slave Leia – willingly – to last year's convention."

"Only because you insisted on going as Han Solo even if you were going alone."

"As I recall, you practically dragged me to the ticket sales office the moment the passes became available." Her grip on his arm tightened and she pretended to pout.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She sniffed, straightening her shoulders – which was a big mistake for her tumbling cleavage. "Besides, last year was for fun. This is for a murder investigation. I don't understand why we had to dress up."

"Because – and I quote – "it will help us blend in and get the other patrons to cooperate if we look like one of them." You do realize that you sounded really old when you said that, right?"

"You are never too old for comic-con. Now stay focused." She instructed "Esposito told me that Aaron's neighbours saw him leaving in a Luxan costume with his glasses over his mask because he couldn't get his contacts to work or something."

He wrinkled his nose "what's a Luxan?" They chose not to acknowledge the two sets of gasps coming from behind them. They really needed to lower their voices.

"I don't know, some Klingon type character from a sci fi show." She waved him off, taking a quick probe of the floor from their new location across the room. "Espo sent me a pic of what it's supposed to look like." She dug into her top and produced the phone, bringing up the shot. Her boyfriend peaked over at the photo, taking a quick swipe at her cleavage before memorizing the photo before him. "Look down my top one more time and I'm burning this outfit." She announced, replacing the phone as she continued her scan of the crowd.

"Noted." He muttered, his eyes following her path. "I still think that outfit is very sexy."

She pursed her lips "well I don't. It's too…revealing."

"You did see what you looked like in that costume last year right?"

"No I know what I looked like last year." She turned on him, her voice low but incredibly dangerous. "Last year was for fun, it was for us, this is for work. I don't like looking like this when I'm working. I'm a cop and I'm…uncomfortable looking like this, okay?"

He didn't hesitate to offer her a gentle smile, twisting his shoulder so she was partially covered from the view of others. "Okay." His eyes suddenly darted over her shoulder and he whispered her name so she'd follow his line of sight. "Suspect staring right at us."

The moment the suspect broke out into a run, she was chasing after him – again, not a wise decision for her exposed cleavage. The material kept her snuggly inside but she could not help the bounce which caught the attention of many patrons.

Especially when she called out "NYPD stop where you are" and her boyfriend followed behind her at a jog. The suspect of course continued his retreat but at least the rest of the crowd parted for the hot, leggy brunette wearing what could barely be considered clothes.

It made things easier when she finally caught up with Jacob Aaron and she tackled him against the fattest, furry cosplayer she'd ever seen - maybe he was some kind of a Pokémon, she wasn't entirely sure. Regardless, she was grateful for the cushion and it provided ample padding when she pressed her elbows into her suspect's back, holding him in place against the plush. "Jacob Aaron, you are under arrest for the murder of Victor Aaron." She handcuffed her suspect as her boyfriend came jogging up behind her, nearly chocking at the sight that met him and the rest of the crowd that had gathered.

Clearing his throat he removed his leather jacket, leaving him in a black wife beater, and placed it around her shoulders even as she rose to her feet. "Where were you hiding those cuffs?" He mumbled.

She tossed him a breathless smile over her shoulders "trust me, you don't want to know." She bit her lip "am I…?"

He scrunched his face "just in the back."

She cringed, using her suspect as a tool to push through the crowd as her boyfriend stood behind for extra cover. "I hate this outfit."

"I'm sure no one else even noticed." He pulled the jacket tighter around her and she tried not to roll her eyes.

"Dude, I totally got a pic of Amazon Chick's ass."

"Nice." She groaned as the two boys high fived each other and went on their merry way, no doubt publishing the photo on every inch of social media at their fingertips.

"If the Captain ever sees that photo I'm going to be suspended indefinitely."

"Well," he agreed "at least you'll probably be making the police calendar next year. Miss July."

He jumped at the glare she shot him "Stop."

"I'm just saying"

"Now."

"Right." He pursed his lips.

She shook her head. "Never again."


	2. Business Meetings

**Oh so much has happened this week I don't even know where to start. There were auditions and breakdowns and playing in sandboxes and not as much writing as I'd like but it's a new week and there's plenty to be done so thank you for the follows, I really appreciate it. **

**I'm also going to say that this series is to be featured on my blog every monday so check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **when you get the chance (it also features weekly guest posts and book reviews from awesome authors).**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

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If banging his head against a brick wall wouldn't inflict more damage than he'd already caused himself over the years, Rick Castle would be doing that now. It was certainly the better alternative to sitting in a board meeting learning a new meaning to the word bored. And he wasn't even interested in this charity. It was some vain excuse for wealthy and lonely housewives to spend their husband's money – he should know, he used to be one of the husbands – but his agent had insisted that one more 'page six' appearance would keep the book sales rolling in so she picked out a fluffy charity for him that was sure to get him some publicity.

The things he did for the job he loved.

He snuck his phone out of his pocket and checked for a new message but his bar was still empty. Damn. After hour one of the meeting he'd texted his girlfriend a 9-1-1, begging her to rescue him and she'd responded with a rather racy comment about what she would do to him once he got out of that meeting.

Figures that her first day off within weeks of working double shifts and he's stuck in a meeting when neither of them have gotten laid since she started her overtime – two months ago. It had made her unbelievably horny which was nice except for the fact that he wasn't there to help her out.

He'd texted her back almost right away, prompting her and teasing her as much as possible. Twice he'd cleared his throat to mask his astonishment at the things she'd said and seven times he had to shift in his seat just to relieve a small amount of tension. So far he had only received two odd looks and he was well on his way to a third – and nearly into hour four of the meeting – when the texts suddenly stopped. That was about forty-five minutes ago. It sucked.

Checking his phone every two minutes was getting more odd looks than his grunting and shifting so he reduced his obsession to every five minutes. It still sucked.

In all honesty he had no idea what he was doing here. He hadn't heard a word that was going on since hour one and the other 'council persons' hadn't noticed at all. Just think: he could be on the other side of the city taking his girlfriend from impossible angles instead of sitting in a room he didn't want to be in where no one noticed him. This really sucked.

"Rick Castle I knew that was you." He recognized that squeaky voice but he couldn't quite place it. Whoever it was, he was thankful for the distraction oh my god it was Kate. His girlfriend was standing there in a tight pencil skirt and a white top with his favourite black bra of hers. Her hair had been done up in a curly bun, giving her a sexy librarian look with a high pitched Jersey accent right out of the nineteen forties. God he loved her.

"Excuse me, this is a private meeting." One of the ladies – she may have been the chairwoman – snapped at her but Kate kept talking, standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

"I knew it was you the moment I saw you. How dare you treat a girl like this. You sleep with her a few dozen times and then never call again? And after I worked _so_ hard to get you onto that damn committee you wanted on." Her disgusted perusal of the other women in the room had him biting his lip to keep from laughing. "Now I can see why you were so desperate."

Okay, time to play along. "Look baby"

"Don't 'baby' me. We are _over_ Rick Castle. You can have these back." He caught the red fabric she threw which he quickly stuffed in his pocket before the others could figure out it was his girlfriend's underwear.

He stood, smiling apologetically at the other committee members "excuse me, ladies, I'll just be a minute."

"Yeah that's what happened last time." He did a double take to his girlfriend who hadn't broken character. He released a nervous giggle while he ushered Kate out of the room, not daring to look back at the ladies in the room. They were no doubt planning on firing him. Damn.

Once they were outside of the room, she didn't speak, not wanting to cause a scene, but she still leaned all her weight into his side, chewing her invisible piece of bubblegum. His hand didn't leave her ass until they had slipped inside the elevator – thankfully empty.

His arm circled her waist and he tugged her securely against his hips. "God you are so hot." She hummed into his open mouth, their kiss devouring every inch of their poorly planned ruse to help him escape.

"Never again." She muttered against his lips, clinging to his back and neck. "Never again. No matter how much I love you or how desperate you are to escape, this is the _last_ time I'm dressing like my old roommate."

She startled when he pushed her to arms-length. His eyes softened and she replayed the words in her mind, gasping at her own thoughtless confession.

"That's the first time you've said that to me."

"I mean it." Her breathlessness surprised her. "Even if I am dressed like a hooker." His laughter matched her own. "I love you." One more kiss pressed against the back of the elevator before it dinged open. "Now can we _please _go home? I have a phone full of suggestions of what we can do to celebrate your release."

He opened his mouth – he had to – but she held a finger to his lips. "Say it and it won't happen." He nodded. God he loved her.

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**Just a quick note, next week is going to be in the rated M section so if you want to read it, please be following me.**


	3. Swingers

**I can't thank you guys enough for all the follows and favourites (I won't say 'no' to more reviews) I really appreciate it. If you missed it, last week I posted the first chapter of the Undercover Lovers: Bedroom Edition. As it is, I'm bumping this story to T just because it's still lot's of hot fun.**

**Don't forget to check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **for my article on "What (Writing) Things I Learned From 'Death Gone Crazy'"**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

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She looked up as the door opened and a tall woman who looked to be in her thirties - but was most likely much closer to forty - greeted her with a plastered on smile and a spray on plum dress that left nothing to the imagination. "Alice?" She asked and Kate nodded, extending her hand in greeting. The woman peeked over the detective's shoulder instead. "Where's your husband? You know the rule about partners."

Kate retracted her hand slowly. "Ted's just locking the car. He's so uptight about his baby." She laughed and the woman returned it with a loud, almost genuine tone.

"Of course; I understand how men can be sometimes."

Rick's arm came around Kate and she leaned into him instinctively. "Sorry about that, honey, I was just making sure the doors were locked." He kissed her hair and her smile was real.

"You must be Ted." The woman extended her hand, leaning forward a little too much for Kate's liking. "I'm Carol; we spoke on the phone."

"Lovely to put a face to that beautiful voice." He squeezed Carol's hand, pinching Kate to keep the frown off her face. He was only pretending; he looked at her reassuringly when she glared at him. Of course Carol blushed but recovered quickly and ushered them inside.

The party was in full swing. Couples lined the walls of the dimly lit living room and deep, soulful music hummed in the background, a hint of sinfulness dancing in the air. Three sets of couples were in different stages of undress, shaking hands and shucking clothes on their way to a backroom which seemed even darker and warmer than the rest of the house. Two couples on the couch in the middle of the room were completely lost to the world around them, sucking, kissing and biting each other while their hands played a symphony below. If you were quiet enough you could hear a woman mutter instructions to one of her partners as he blindly and lustfully obeyed her every command. Kate flushed.

"Is everyone here married?" Rick's question shouldn't have startled her but she had to admit, his arm around her waist was the only thing keeping her tied to the investigation.

"Not everyone." Carol answered, not even turning back as she continued her brief tour of the house, heading towards the kitchen where refreshments in the form of potent liquors and self-proclaimed aphrodisiacs were served. "We encourage married couples to play with us simply because anything of this nature does involve a high level of trust." She turned back this time, to look at them through her eyelashes, inspecting them for some nefarious deeds playing out in her mind. Kate was suddenly uncomfortable with the shortness of her black dress and the tightness of Rick's pants. "Are you two…?"

Kate held up her left hand, exposing the diamond ring on her finger. "Three years." She hugged Rick closer instinctively. "We thought it was time to branch out a little." She looked at him for confirmation and like the dutiful husband he nodded and smiled lovingly.

"Our friend Max recommended you."

Carol paused for a brief moment, barely noticeable, before her smile returned if a little sadder. "Yes I know Max. It's a shame about his wife. He and Amy were so in love."

"You think?" Kate jumped right back into the conversation. "I always thought so but after the police arrested him…" She paused – mostly for dramatic affect – "do you think he killed her?"

Carol leaned in conspiratorially and whatever is was about her that drew them in, they leaned forward with her. "I told the police that Max was with me that night. We attended a party together since Amy was working and my husband cancelled at the last minute."

"Well who do you think did it?" Kate tried not to grimace. Subtle Rick was not.

The other woman sensed it as well and took her pause fully. "Where did you say you knew Max from?"

Kate opened her mouth but apparently Rick was on a roll. "Work;" he smirked at her "but as this party is supposed to be about anonymity I trust I don't need to say anymore?"

Carol seemed to relax at this and her smile returned. "Of course." Someone called out her name and she quickly excused herself. "Feel free to look around; watch what you'd like and jump in whenever you're ready." Then she smiled. "I'll come and find you in a moment." The couple smiled in return and made their way back towards the living room, pretending they hadn't seen the interest in their partner's eyes.

It didn't take long to find the few personal photographs that had been left on the mantel in the darkness. Kate's eyes were drawn to one in particular which she picked up and examined closer. It was of Carol and a man with his arms draped over her shoulders from behind, kissing her cheek while she smiled gleefully. It was a picture of a couple in love.

"Isn't that the man we couldn't identify? The one who was having an affair with Amy?" Kate nodded, her eyes never leaving the photo.

"That's my husband, Bob." They jumped as Carol appeared behind them, peeking over their shoulders.

Kate stopped before looking up at the woman with a twinge of sympathy. "Your husband?"

Now changed into high-waisted dress pants and a navy silk blouse, Kate stepped out of the interrogation room, closing her folder and nodding to LT who slipped into the room. Rick was at her side in an instant, closing the observation room door behind him. "That's a shame really." He hummed. "I could tell you liked her."

She gaped at him but Captain Gates fell into step with the duo and she kept her mouth shut. "So?"

"Carol confessed." She announced. "She knew her husband was having an affair with Amy and she knew if they got divorced their swing club would be outed and she couldn't have the scandal on her hands."

Rick took over. "So while Max was otherwise occupied with a couple at the party, she snuck out, killed Amy, and slipped back in before anyone noticed."

"Good work, you two." Gates conceded "you work well undercover." And then she was gone, leaving the couple to their thoughts.

Kate's eyes travelled down to her now empty ring finger. "Case closed." She muttered, returning to her desk.

"So have you ever thought about it?"

She blinked up at him. "What?"

"Swinging;" he retrieved her coat from the back of her chair and offered it. "Have you ever thought about trying it out? Maybe with one of the guys?"

She looked at him pointedly "would you honestly be able to look Ryan or Esposito in the eye if we did anything like that?"

He cringed, a shudder wracking his entire body. "Okay you're right; but what about with a stranger?"

She pretended to think for a moment as they walked in synchronization towards the elevator. "I might consider it." The elevator dinged open and she stepped inside. "Once we were married of course." The elevators had closed by the time Rick returned to his senses so he made a mad dash for the stairs, hoping to catch her at the bottom. He chased after her all the way.


	4. Sleezy Drunks

**You guys are still awesome for alerting and favouriting (we're working on the reviews it seems). We're back on another Castle Monday with another Undercover Lovers episode. This one, I've titled Sleezy Drunks.**

**A reminder that next monday is another M-Rated Story (it's also the first of the Castle Two-parter AND my Birthday so...please show up!)**

**Don't forget to follow me on twitter ( vatrask) and my blog madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com for writing content (and sometimes Castle-related). **

**And as always, please review and don't forget to fit the alert button.**

**Enjoy 3**

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"Are you sure you'll be alright, sweetie." Lanie was trying really hard to be serious – she was – but the way Esposito was nibbling on her ear and breathing down her neck in that ridiculously turned on manner was making it difficult.

Kate rolled her eyes as her two friends continued to casually grope each other at the end of the bar. "I promise. Rick called and he'll be here any minute to take me home where my boyfriend and I can do something much more dignified than what you and your ex are about to do."

"Hey," The Hispanic detective came up for air long enough to glare at his friend before returning to peppering drunken kisses down Lanie's neck.

Kate rolled her eyes – really, there was nothing else to do when the two of them were like this – and continued to burse her drink "go. The cab will be here any minute so save the show for them, okay?"

Lanie leaned over to kiss her friend's cheek before her ex-lover/occasional bootycall dragged her out of the bar by the belt loop of her very-fitted jeans. Even after they were gone, it seemed fitting to roll her eyes.

She settled further into her stool in the corner of the bar – far enough from the crowd to be bothered by it – and took another sip of her drink. It might have been her third; really she was having too much fun watching her two friends pretend to deny their attraction to each other. It wasn't that she was necessarily gunning for them to get back together but she always thought that if two people were truly attracted to each other and wanted to be together they should.

She laughed at her own hypocrisy. At least she'd made a move – finally.

She stiffened when she felt a warm hand come around her waist and a light breath kiss her neck. "Hey beautiful."

That was definitely not Rick's voice. No, when she turned around this pudgy, unevenly shaven man smelling of cheap beer and old spice was definitely not her debonair boyfriend. Alright he might not have looked _that_ bad but it was definitely not Rick and that was the point. "Can I help you?"

"I have been watching you all night, just waiting for your friends to leave so I could talk to in private." At least he was direct. She slunk out of her seat when he leaned in to touch her neck. No, he definitely did smell that bad. And he definitely was running his hand up her thigh.

"You need to back away now."

"Oh but a girl as pretty as you shouldn't be left alone." He kept stalking towards her around the chair – would men never learn? "There are dangerous men lurking around."

"Sir, I don't really want to make a scene." And this time – unlike all the other times she'd said it in her life – she actually meant it, she was just not in the mood to beat this man up because it just wasn't a beat-him-up-for-pissing-her-off kind of night – though it was certainly getting there.

"Oh baby, we don't have to make a scene if you don't want to." Tonight was the night to roll her eyes at the ridiculousness of the world around her.

She placed her hands on his chest when he dared to get that close to her. Where the hell was everyone else and why wasn't the bartender who'd been there not ten minutes ago stepping in? "Sir, please, my husband will be here any minute and you really don't want to make him angry." Changing tactics, she decided to play the shy female, hoping he'd back off if he thought she had some big strong man to protect her. Admittedly it wasn't her best move but it seemed to work because booze-breath paused in his lip-licking perusal of her and his eyes fell to her left hand. Curses.

"I don't see a ring there."

She tilted her chin up like her explanation as actually dignified. "I was at the spa today and I didn't want to lose it." That was also why he was still standing – that,

she knew for sure. He'd somehow managed to back her against the bar and lean in close enough for her to choke on his cologne.

"I seriously doubt that."

"Kate?" Now _that_ voice she knew belonged to Rick.

"Honey," she breathed, slipping out from the bar when sleaze-stack was distracted and coming to rest against the writer's chest "you're here."

His arm fell to her hip naturally, no matter how confused he was by the entire situation. "What's going on?" He spoke slowly, almost fearing the answer.

"This man won't leave me alone sweetie." Was she using her whiny, valley girl voice – it was a little hard to hear against the din of the music – because that meant trouble. And she was definitely mussing her hair and snuggling into his chest. He was already pissed off at this guy.

"So you're the husband?" He looked Rick over, looking for any immediate threat and, finding none, raised his fist to knock out the competition. Rick beat him to it – guess he didn't see that coming. The punch wasn't hard enough to knock him out but it stunned him long enough that when he had stopped seeing double, he stumbled when Kate slammed his face against the bar. He was left a groaning heap on the floor.

Kate carefully stepped around his body to bend down and whisper in his ear "a pretty girl like me can take care of herself." With a supermodel hair flip she stood and took Rick's hand as he assisted her in stepping on and over the man who would definitely have uncomfortable bruises in the morning. Completely ignorant of the other patrons staring at them, Castle held both her hands as they strolled out of the bar as casual as can be. "Well that was fun." He whispered in her ear and she hummed non-committedly. "So how was your spa day with Lanie?"

"It went pretty much as expected."

He dared to glance back at the aftermath of their brief encounter. "I don't know when this became expected for you but I think I should start to worry."

"I wouldn't." She shrugged, hip-checking the door open.

"So…" he leaned in to kiss the skin behind her ear "I'm your husband now? I thought that was supposed to be a mutual thing."

They both expected her to stiffen and quickly change the subject way from the matrimonial but instead she just laughed, leaning back into his arms "no, you're not my husband. It's just that psychologically creeps are more likely to back off if they know the girl is in a committed relationship like a marriage rather than just a boyfriend."

He hummed. It made sense, of course, but it still seemed like there was something missing. So he moved on. "So what happened to Lanie anyways?"

And Kate was back to rolling her eyes. "Esposito came to pick her up about an hour ago. And then proceeded to get as drunk as she was. They left a few minute ago – I called them a cab." She assured.

"What, is that some new form of insult?" She looked at him; he had no way of describing the looks she gave him, sometimes. As a writer this was both bad and breath-taking. "To call them a cab?"

He didn't need to see her to know she was rolling her eyes – which was a good thing because she was already walking towards his car and sliding into the passenger seat. "You mean I actually get to drive?"

"Castle, just take me home."

"Because if I'm going to pretend to be your husband I really think I should get to drive more often…" the conversation continued into the next day when a hung over Esposito came into work, asking how the rest of her evening was with as much of a leer as he could muster. The couple revealed nothing…until a beat cop called to ask if she was the one responsible for the nasty black eye and broken nose on one of the guys who'd made it to the drunk tank last night.


	5. Human Trafficking

**I'm a little late today with the new installment but I _am_ here so...hooray.**

**As if today isn't going to be angsty enough with part two of the Castle fandom murder, I bring you no fluff today. It's a rather serious subject actually so please take note. I tried to figure out a good scenario to get the story out and it was a lot harder than I imagined so I don't really know what to do. Let me know your thoughts in your reviews.**

**Don't forget to follow me on twitter ( vatrask) and my blog madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com for writing content (and sometimes Castle-related). **

**And as always, please review and don't forget to fit the alert button.**

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

Kate grabbed her partner's shoulder as they stepped through the gate encasing the rundown apartment building that F.B.I. information had led them to. "Castle, are you _positive_ you can do this? This is your last chance to back out."

He held her hand there, trying to think about how cold her fingers were. "I promise, Kate, I'm fine." His smile was weaker than her belief in his words. "Besides, Huang came to _us_, not the F.B.I., and he deserves for us to see it through to the end."

She broke. Her heart beat out of her chest more out of fear for him and his heart than for her own safety. So she broke her façade for a moment; just long enough to throw her arms around him and kiss him so he would never forget where he kept his heart. She would protect it no matter what happened. He kissed her back roughly, exhaling his anxiety through her body, letting her absorb away some of his guilt. They lingered together longer than they should have before she slipped into his side and snuggled as they approached the door.

The building was in mild disrepair but was by no means unmanageable with the right eye for renovation. To a passerby, it would have been a point of passing satisfaction to see the construction sign on the front door but for the detective and her partner it was an excuse. A simple way to keep out prying eyes. He pressed the rusting buzzer to apartment 4F and a breath later, the couple was permitted entrance.

Kate never left his side and his hand around her waist wouldn't have had it any other way. She squeezed his bicep as they stepped off the elevator to find all of the doors on the fourth floor apartments removed and the furniture removed. Everything smelt damp and the world around them was too dark to see. It was the first time since meeting Kate Beckett that he wished he wasn't stuck in a spy movie. At the end of the hallway in front of apartment 4F stood two burly Chinese men in suits and tightened jaws.

She squeezed his arm again as they approached until they were pulled apart by the two men who began to pat them down for weapons. Part of her wanted to keep an eye on him and the other part needed to see his blue eyes shining with reassurance because she was seriously regretting her decision to wear a skirt even if it _was_ just a pencil skirt. The couple kept their eyes locked as the men continued their precise pat down until a pair of hands came to the skin under Kate's skirt and she let out a gasp; the men sneered at each other, still silent. The man's fingers swept slowly up the inside of her thigh, callused and weathered hands scratching the surface of her skin. The inside of her cheek was pressed so tightly she feared it might start bleeding and her hands shook at her sides with a desperation to move; but any move that was out of character would have meant the end of Castle's life with the flick of the guard's wrist. His fingers travelled higher, sending tremors of repulsion across her flesh. She had to stop him.

Kate jumped when Rick barked something in Mandarin and both men took a step back, equally as startled. Surprise turned into a glare when the men reluctantly stepped aside to allow them a sort of gateway into the next room. Inside was too dark to see anything except for the stream of light illuminating a corner of the room, dust and misuse floating in the air. Kate was still looking at Rick who had lost his colour in a fraction of the time it took him to gain the confidence to order those men away from her. Taking her cue, Kate sniffed at the guards haughtily and wrapped her arm tightly around her partner's bicep. Rick startled out of his daze and cupped his girlfriend's hand as a show of possession and appreciation. Both men glared as they stepped through.

In a dark corner of the dark room only lit by the splay of moonlight through an opposite window, a man appeared out of the shadows and Rick held her arm tighter to his side. He was a head shorter than Rick but his expression was attentive, his eyes observing his opponent like they were playing a game of chess already half way through. He tried to stop the analogies and metaphors in his head but honestly, it was the only thing keeping him from punching the man out and alerting the guards which would certainly mean Kate's end. He observed the man's upright gate and expensive suit; his wire-framed glasses perched on his nose and his thin lips, always smiling.

The man never looked at Kate and a part of her was so glad. He extended his smooth, precise hand to Rick who took it in a hardy shake while the men exchanged a greeting in Mandarin, laughing like they were old friends. Like they were in some café in midtown getting coffee and catching up on old times instead of boxed into an unused apartment building, seeking evidence to arrest the man Castle was shaking hands with. The only indication that Rick was even distressed came from his vice grip on her arm, never changing as they slipped further into darkness. He led them silently down a hallway neither had noticed. Their world was pitch black now and the journey seemed to take forever but they finally made it and neither could hide their gasp.

The other room was opened and half shadowed in darkness from the burnt out bulbs keeping the back of the room caged in darkness; nothing could escape it. At the edge of the darkness stood eighteen boys and girls no older than fourteen standing in two rows, all well groomed and precious-looking. They could have been standing there waiting to take a family photo had it not been for the tear stains and the whimpers that slipped out from a few as the group approached. Kate hazarded a glance at her partner who had suddenly turned so white that she broke again and kissed his cheek. It didn't seem to relax him but that was all he could do.

"What exactly are you looking for?" The man's English was precise, schooled, and that made Rick graduate from pale to ghost – not that it showed in the darkness.

So it began. Kate pressed up on her toes to reach her partner's ear and whispered her request. Rick nodded and answered for her "my wife is looking for a companion to keep her company during the day. She gets lonely when I am away."

The business man nodded in understanding, his hands folded in front of him; never once did his eyes stray to Kate. She wanted to throw up. "Does your wife have any preferences?"

Again Kate whispered in his ear and he nodded before responding "she wants a girl around twelve years old with very short hair and light brown eyes."

The world stopped when he raised his eye brow in suspicion. "That is a very specific request to make." Rick answered something in Mandarin that made the man throw his head back in even, full-bodied laughter while the group of children before them all whimpered and curled into each other.

Kate swore that she would make it up to Rick, whatever it took to get the image of this night out of his head; out of both their heads.

With a snap of the man's fingers three young girls no older than twelve stepped forward from the crowd. All had short hair, smartly cropped, and light brown eyes – from what was visible through the shadows. They stood so still in their line and that was when Kate realized that there was no guard in this room to enforce obedience physically. They did without thought. She closed her eyes and missed Rick pulling her away from him as the man instructed him to tell his wife to take a look.

Kate released his arm and immediately missed the support of his body against hers. As in so many things, they needed each other. She slowly approached the three girls with their chins jutted out defiantly. She recognized it as her own sign of bravery. She bent down to look at all three girls and she addressed them one at a time. "What's your name?" Her voice was shaking too much, she knew that, but she could only hope that the man ignored her as he had in all other things. She caressed each girl's tear stained face, their skin cold from surrender and lack of sun. The girls answered one by one, their voices matching in tone and volume. They never broke the silence that smothered the room.

"Ming."

"Yu Xian."

"Jian."

Kate lingered over the young girl's soft features before snapping to her feet and stepping back into her partners arm. She whispered in his ear and he wrapped his arm tighter around her waist. "My wife doesn't like any of them."

The man straightened, clearly offended. He readjusted his suit jacket but his voice remained cool. "There will be a new shipment arriving within three weeks if you wish to return. If your wife can be patient, that is." Still he refused to glance at Kate but his pointed look to Rick was very clear.

"I assure you that she will be." Rick gave a pointed look of his own "Provided you are actually able to deliver on your end."

"On that you can be certain." God, Kate wanted to kill this man. "And we will be reopening the subject of payment."

"My deposit wasn't enough of a reassurance?"

"It was more than enough Mr. Strike, however it was just that; a deposit. My fee is very steep." Rick answered again with some remark in Mandarin that had Kate crying out to hold her lover; to take him away from this horrible place and erase it from their memories.

With a final handshake their business was concluded and the man waved them away. Rick tugged Kate's arm, dragging her away even as she took one last look at the children trapped in the darkness.

The moment they were out of sight and around the corner for safety sake, the couple collapsed onto the brick wall behind them. Rick held his knees and tried to desperately to remember to breathe, knowing he hadn't since he had stepped off the elevator on the fourth floor of that apartment building. Kate had mirrored his position until she saw his sickly green complexion and then her legs gave out and she collapsed to her knees beside him. She caressed his legs and arms gently, offering whatever support she could. "I'm sorry Rick, I am so sorry Rick." She repeated the mantra over and over until his breathing had evened out and he surrendered to the gravity of the moment. He fell into her arms and allowed her to just hold him, inhaling her scent and using it to keep him tethered to reality.

"I'll be fine, Kate, as long as you can confirm that that was Huang's sister." She nodded solemnly, willing herself away from the images that would give her nightmares for months. "Then it was worth it." She collapsed into him, bringing her hands to his cheeks to plant a firm kiss on his trembling lips. The lingered, swept up in each other's embrace.

The finally parted but Kate kept as much contact as possible while she helped her partner to his feet. He held her hands firmly with skin as cold as the room they'd left. "Why don't you head over to the college? I'm sure Alexis is due for a visit from her dad."

He slowly shook his head, still barely able to look at her. "No, the best thing I can do right now is keep every other little girl safe."

She kissed his cheek. "You're amazing." She whispered.

He echoed her words without smiling. "So are you. Now let's take this son of a bitch down."


	6. Annoying Ex-boyfriend

**Ah, a good old Monday update with your coffee on a Castle-less Monday. More than anything I wrote this story for a giggle to counteract the last chapter (and the Castle-less part of this Monday) so hopefully we acheived at least that. **

**A friendly reminder that next week we're back in the M-Rated section and LittleLizzieZentara has assured me that her chapter of Armed and Dangerous will be updated soon so there's always time to catch up on that story as well.**

**Don't forget to check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **for more writing from the Madame.**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

****UPDATE: I feel the need to emphasize the point that this is not meant to be realistic. This particular story is meant to be silly and weird and no, I don't think Castle was ever gay, I just thought this would be a silly little piece to get you through one Castle-less Monday. Next week will be a sex scene so just...hold out if this one made you SO upset. ****

**Enjoy 3**

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Kate Beckett was drunk. She was more than drunk, she was plastered. Thank god her boyfriend owned a bar or she wouldn't be able to afford her designer wardrobe on her cop salary. They were celebrating and celebrating catching a wannabe serial killer deserved getting drunk using a bar tab covered by a millionaire. She was leaning against the man of the hour, really using him to keep her upright while she sung sound bites of "Piano Man" and giggled into her boyfriend's side. Rick led her down the street to where he'd parked his car several hours earlier. He'd decided to be the designated driver tonight instead of opting to call them a cab because he knew that Kate needed to get drunk safely and also….he'd never seen her drunk before. Not this drunk. Not when she was barely able to walk a squiggly line and everything was hilarious. It was nice to see her so upbeat - though honestly, he would _kill_ for a video camera right about now. She had just reached the chorus for the third time in a row and was animatedly prompting him to join in when she stumbled into a lamp post as they bumped into a man walking past them.

"Oh, sorry." He mumbled, keeping his head down. "I wasn't looking."

Kate, still in love with everything, patted his back, stumbling into him until Rick caught her shoulders "no worries, you didn't break any bones."

The man nodded, obviously taken aback by Kate's hands-on approach to life but paused when he saw her partner. "Rick Castle."

Great, a fan. "You're a fan? I'd love to sign something…" he searched for a pen but caught the man smiling and shaking his head.

"I guess you don't remember me." He extended his hand to the writer. "Dean Andrews. We were roommates in college."

Rick knew his girlfriend was watching him, but he still blushed, remembering the name and Kate bit her lip. "Yes, I remember." He took the man's hand quickly and released it after a quick squeeze that could barely be called a handshake. "It's just been…"

"A long time." Dean laughed nervously then grew quiet, taken back in time to a place Rick really didn't want to remember – or what little he could remember through the college haze. "You know, you were my first."

Kate chocked on air and stumbled into her boyfriend's side. Rick glared at her but even then, his mind was taken back to that place he barely remembered. "Oh my god."

"I'm sorry, how rude of me, I don't believe we've been introduced."

Rick shook his head "right; Dean this is Kate, my"

"cousin; I'm his cousin." Kate took Dean's outstretched hand with vigor, trying and failing to hold in her bubbles of laughter. Rick looked at his girlfriend with what would later be defined as 'his look'; similar to 'her look', it was the death glare he gave his partner when she did something she really shouldn't.

Dean mumbled a standard greeting but his eyes were still on Rick, appraising him in his later years. He liked what he saw. "You know, Rick, I work at the Department of Justice now, you should definitely give me a call sometime so we can go for coffee and maybe catch up on old times?" The innuendo was atrociously obvious which seemed to make Kate hysterical with laughter so Rick took the business card Dean offered and left the scene of the crime before the situation got worse and his old high school girlfriend came for a visit.

"You are in such big trouble when we get home," he whispered in Kate's ear as they _finally_ came up to the car.

Kate was still too giddy for her own good. "I am just so happy right now; this is a great story to tell everyone."

He turned at the passenger side door so she fell into his stomach rather than the car and maintaining a sane conversation seemed absolutely pointless but he tried nonetheless. "That is so sexist of you to assume that only women experimented in college."

"Oh I know that," she bit her lip "I just never pictured you as one of the ones who _experimented_."

The way she was looking him up and down with that teasing smile on her face was almost too much for him so he pulled her roughly to him so their hips clashed in an almost painful familiarity. "I can assure you that I am one hundred percent heterosexual now." She hummed in affirmation.

Two weeks later, Castle came charging through the elevator doors before they were fully open, startling several uniformed officers as he stormed passed them. "Beckett, you've _got_ to hide me." Beckett looked up from her paperwork, startled to find her boyfriend so panicked.

"What wrong?"

"There you are." Everyone looked up to see Dean Andrews jogging up to the pair having come through the staircase. "Man, I am not in shape like I used to be. Not as much physical activity." The man was as a subtle as a freight train driven by unicorn – and winking at Castle, making the writer groan and look to his partner for guidance, was not helping his cause. "I didn't know your cousin was a detective until I saw you coming up the steps. I was on my way to the Twelfth anyway to drop off these legal documents" he indicated the file in his hand that had nearly been forgotten "we should go to lunch. Just like old times?"

Beckett rolled her eyes "alright Dean, that's enough. You have been following Castle around for two weeks. While it was funny at the beginning, it's getting really old. You need to back off." Even when the Great Detective Beckett stood to tell the man off, he still didn't seem to get it. Everyone else did because the precinct floor was dead silent.

"You're awfully possessive for a cousin."

"Oh for the love of" he still thought they were cousins? After she'd told him off for the last two weeks? Fine then; this will convince him for sure. Beckett offered no warning before she grabbed Castle by the lapels of his jacket and fused her mouth to his. This kiss was hot and searing, melting his body into hers. He responded in kind until the need for air broke them apart and they suddenly remembered why they were even doing it…kissing in the precinct. Once the wolf whistles died down, everyone paused to wait for Dean's response.

"I'm sorry Rick;" score. He was finally backing off. "I really don't care how you live your life but I find the familiarity and the attraction you seem to have towards your cousin disgusting." Crap. What? "I can't continue this relationship with you. I'm sorry." Beckett couldn't stop staring at Dean; even as the sound of laughter filtered through the precinct as the lawyer sulked towards the elevator. Castle was equally as shell shocked by the entire experience and was doing very little to hide his embarrassment of the entire situation.

"Detective Beckett; Mr. Castle." The couple looked up as their Captain called to them. "Step into my office. I believe we need to have another chat about proper office behavior." Beckett groaned into her boyfriend's shoulder while the laughter died down to a few sniggers which were thankfully fading.

"I am never drinking again."

"I am never parking that far away _again_."

She nodded into his shirt. "This one is definitely your fault."

He pulled away and she stumbled, bringing on a sense of déjà vu "actually it's _your_ fault for telling Dean you were my cousin."

"It's your fault for not telling me you had a boyfriend in college." Kate tried to be quiet about that part but apparently her other two partners were tuned in to their radio station.

"Yo, what was that?" Esposito approached the couple with Ryan flanking from behind. "You had a bro in college?"

"Yeah…so?"

"Nothing it's just," Ryan looked at his partner and the pair seemed to count down in their heads just so they could say in perfect unison "we thought we were your first." Beckett held a fist over her mouth to keep from laughing but it really didn't work. Castle scrunched his face in annoyance and turned his back on his friends who certainly would be paying full price drinks for the next three months.


	7. Pick Up Artist

**Ah yes! Finally it's Castle Monday. I am so excited for tonight's episode because, A) We are one episode closer to number 100 and B) The set up for this episode seems like so much fun. I love fun - I need fun. Fun has eluded me as of late. You know what else is fun? Reviews. I'm just saying...**

**Don't forget to check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **for more writing from the Madame.**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

* * *

"I am going to _kill_ you guys." She pressed a hand to her ear piece as she slithered across the edge of the dance floor, keeping an eye on the entrance to the dark, jazzy nightclub. In a time before she met Castle, she might have been one to dress up in a slinky dress – like the one she was in now – and flirt in a bar just like this. But now, it just made her annoyed; mostly annoyed at the two men in her ear, enjoying her suffering way too much.

"Wait, are you going to kill me?" She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, also in her ear, who was currently at the other end of the bar taking a swig of non-alcoholic beer like it was water.

She grumbled "unfortunately Castle, I need you so I'm going to settle for killing the two who have been sitting in the van all night while we do all the dirty work."

It's like the boys couldn't take a hint. "Hey, look at that Castle, Beckett finally admitted that she needs you."

"Ha! You should have heard her last night when she"

"Castle," she cut the boys off "when we get home, we're going to have a serious talk about needs and how those needs are going to be fulfilled. Understand?"

He didn't respond but Ryan and Esposito made a simultaneous noise of disappointment and regret "Sorry dude." Across the bar, Beckett and Castle's eyes met and they exchanged a wink before turning back to their tasks.

"Alright boys, pipe down, our suspect just walked through the front door." He was tall and lean, curly haired and bright blue eyes, wearing a long black leather jacket. He was just as their witness described him. "He stands out so much no one notices as a thing." Beckett quoted the statement as she began to make her way through the crowd of dancers, gliding up and down each other to a smooth, dark beat.

"You know, Kate, I never thought I'd say this outside of the bedroom but: do your thing."

She could hear Ryan's laughter through her ear piece but clenched her jaw to ignore it "that's funny; I thought the only phrase you wouldn't say out of the bedroom was" Beckett removed her ear piece, sticking it in down her dress. She began to move to the rhythm of the song, letting the world fall away even as she held her eyes to her suspect, seeing only him. The eyes of several other patrons glanced at her while she moved but quickly lost interest when they saw that the man of the hour had caught her eye and he was clearly interested. He watched her, smiling in this crooked, charming way that held no danger. He knew how to exude charm when all he did was stand there. Lord knows what would happen when she got to him. She was about to find out.

"Come here often?" He murmured like she was the only one in the room.

"Is that your best line?"

"I didn't think I needed a line to talk to you? I thought we could just talk."

She continued to dance silently while formulating a response. "This is my first time coming here."

He stepped in closer – but only because another couple pushed him into it. "Mine too." Liar, she reminded herself. She admitted that in that time before Castle – before she became a cop even – she would have found this man charming and cute. She would have danced with him just like she was now, swaying her body in time with a rhythm that managed to sync up with her heart beat. This would have been a good place to let loose, it wasn't too crowded and the people were there to relax, let their guard down.

It was a perfect place to hunt.

The song faded away and invited in another that she didn't recognize. "I don't know this one." He whispered in her ear. "Care for a drink?" She let him lead her off the dance floor to a corner of the bar less crowded, where there was less need for noise. They each ordered some light, neutral drink that would barely give them a buzz.

While they nursed their drinks, they turned their backs to the bar, watching the crowd and glancing at each other. It was all very casual, very natural. "So what made you decide to come tonight?"

She gave him a heated look and sipped before drink before responding. "I thought tonight would be a good night for something new. What about you?"

"Me?" He smirked at this "I was just hoping for a change of pace."

Beckett lifted her drink "to fate." He echoed her toast and they each took a sip, falling into silence; but that didn't last long.

"Hey baby, dance with me." Castle was suddenly there, seemingly drunk off his ass, moving to an unheard tune and dancing into Beckett's personal space. Any version of Beckett would have knocked a guy like that on his ass but not tonight.

"I'm not interested." She tried to smile but it was hard when her boyfriend was stumbling around and reaching out to grope her like he _wasn't_ her boyfriend. Especially when she turned away from him and he responded by grabbing her waist with one hand while the other held a glass of something dark and rich – what was it, root beer? It certainly didn't smell non-alcoholic. Whatever it was, she had a flicker of attraction that punched her in the gut at the way he gripped her and pulled her to him. Only Castle could act like a drunken idiot and still turn her on just a little bit.

"I don't say that was a request." He started to tug her out onto the dance floor when their suspect stepped in.

"The lady said no." Somewhere in the back of her head, Beckett scoffed and had the sudden urge to punch out the man defending her honour.

Castle pushed forward again and Beckett recoiled while their suspect pushed back, stepping between the couple. Castle took it as his cue to back off. "Pfft, whatever." He looked down at his glass before throwing the contents at his girlfriend and walking away. "Bitch."

Rather than go after the jerk like most guys would have, the man turned to Beckett who wiped at her skin and tried to remind herself that that was her idea. "Come on, let's get out of here." He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed as a show of comfort while he led her towards the back of the club where there were bathrooms and a back door. He was making his move.

He opened the women's washroom door to find another couple already in the throes of a drunken one night stand so instead he grabbed a few handfuls of paper towel and ushered her out the back door. "Come on; it's more private here." It was private alright; no one went back there unless they had one thing on their mind.

He still came off as caring, wiping down her shoulders and arms with a paper towel while she sniffled at her embarrassment of being treated so poorly by a strange drunk guy. It didn't take long for the paper towel to stray a little too close to her chest. It took even less time for that caress to turn into a squeeze. She pushed him away but he came back, pressing his body into hers, trapping her against the cold brick wall. His charm seeped out of his skin and crawled away, leaving a leering, hungry man. "Oh come on, don't resist; it'll go a lot smoother. Though I saw you looking at that guy, you like it rough don't you?" His hand fell to her thigh and gripped the material of her dress. Before he could move it an inch, his face was slammed into the brick wall while she pressed into him from behind.

"Thomas Markowski you are under arrest for the rape and murder of Sarah James and Alexis Kale."

"You're a cop?" He growled, his face smashed against the cold truth.

"_Detective_ Kate Beckett." She announced, using her body weight to keep him steady while she fished through the top of her dress, looking for her ear piece. She was met with panicked voices and a little bit of static.

"You were supposed to be watching her, that's why we stuck you in the club."

"I'm looking for her. Hasn't she checked in?"

"No, because _someone_ threw the drink in the wrong place. You were supposed to aim for her stomach so you didn't hurt any of the wires."

"We lost her microphone."

Beckett rolled her eyes and let up from the suspect just a little bit. "Give me a sec." She pulled the microphone from the top of her dress and shook it, tapping it against her leg a few times before blowing in it lightly. "Boys?"

"Beckett!" She winced at the chorus of boys shouting her name.

"You're back." Ryan: the ever observant little puppy dog.

"Where the hell are you?" At least Castle sounded equal parts worried and pissed off.

Thomas, being stupid as he was, tried to make a run for it but Beckett placed her foot out and tripped him without look, placing a heeled shoe to his back while he groaned in discomfort. "I'm in the back ally if any of you would like to join me. I'd like to take our murderer into custody if that's alright with you."

"I'll be right there." The boys chorused. Sometimes, she swore they practiced.


	8. Jealous Girlfriend

**Another Castle Monday another Undercover Lovers. Speaking of which - great segue right? - we're getting close to the end of my list. I had a list of all the stories I could think of to tell which consisted of 15 "undercover" scenarios but now is the perfect time to be suggesting more. Seriously, if you can think of more scenarios of Caskett being other people let me know and I will try and make it work. **

**Other than that, Happy Castle Monday, review and I'll see you next week in the Bedroom Edition.**

**Standad proccedure people: follow me on twitter **vatrask **and on my blog** madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com

**Enjoy **

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She dashed from the break room, precariously holding onto her mug of coffee, snatching her phone before it buzzed right off her desk. Of course it was from Castle, he hadn't been in all day but he had been trying to sext her all morning. Except this text was the one to get her running out the door.

_9-1-1_.

Kate Beckett was in the elevator before her coffee cup could settle on her desk.

She pulled up at the bookstore where she knew he would be. Another book signing for another Nikki Heat best seller. She couldn't complain – at least he was still in town – but now that she was dating Castle rather than standing in lines like this hoping to get a glimpse of that secret smile, she understood why Gina had preferred to remain his publisher rather than his wife. She loved him, but it was easy to get jealous. It was easier since they still hadn't gone public on their relationship. Reaching over, she removed her sunglasses from her glove compartment and pulled her hoodie up as far as possible. She looked ridiculous but she could step out of her car, and push through the crowds of Castle fanatics without being recognized – she hoped.

The crowd of business women, obsessive college kids, and cougars was unusually aggressive today. As she elbowed her way through the hoard she was met with several curses, dirty looks, and even a few shoves. She finally emerged on the other side of the perfume cloud to see her boyfriend in the middle of a cat fight between three girls all dressed in what were probably once business outfits. Two blondes were each clad in charcoal pencil skirts and white blouses that had been torn open from the obvious struggle. A brunette woman with matted hair and a black pantsuit stood on the sidelines simultaneously pulling them apart and pushing herself forward into the terrified man between them. Somewhere, a porn movie started just like this.

Castle spotted his girlfriend and shot her such a conflicted look of panic, apology, relief and maybe terror for his life. "See, my girlfriend is here. I told you I wasn't lying." She rolled her eyes. This was because they were keeping their relationship a secret? Please.

The brunette, obviously the leader of the cat crew released her grip on the others who fell into each other. She made a sharp turn to appraise the new competition. "So _you're_ the new girlfriend that no one can confirm?"

Kate pursed her lips, embracing her year abroad to try out her Russian Accent. "I can confirm it."

One of the blondes stepped forward, leaving her dress shirt open with one button keeping her decent. "Um, I highly doubt that. Because whether or not he refuses to acknowledge it, he's in love with me, not some _foreign_ chick."

Her companion quickly jumped in, folding her arms under her chest to exaggerate her rather apparent assets. "Actually, he's in love with me."

The women shot withering looks at each other, close to jumping into another cat fight when their leader shouted over them "ladies!" before turning back to Kate. "The point is: we don't believe you."

Kate had to blink to make sure she was still awake. Were these girls for real? Leaning over to peer at her boyfriend she almost burst out laughing at his terrified expression. "Why do you always attract the crazy ones?"

He offered her a wide eyed look that would have been adorable in any other situation – who was she kidding, it was still adorable. "I. Had…_nothing_ to do with…this" he gestured to the three women who were barely acknowledging him; they had their sights set on Kate.

"Oh I know." Her accent was thicker when she pouted, even worse when she snapped. "It is you three. How dare you try to steal my boyfriend?" Behind her, a few of the patrons who stuck around to watch the encounter – some with cameras – made ooing and ahing sounds, egging all four of them in a fight. "If you try to steal Richard from me, I will fight for him and trust me: I _always_ win."

The blonde duet jumped at the menacing tone in her voice, taking a step into the crowd, but the ever resilient leader just stood there, one perfectly manicured eyebrow raised. "A fake accent isn't going to scare me off. Look at you; you're nobody. And Rick Castle doesn't date nobodies."

Kate bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smacking the poor woman who had no idea who she was talking to. Closing her eyes, she prepared for the worst. "Alright, you are right; he is not my boyfriend." She reached down the neck of her hoodie and produced a ring – her mother's – on a chain. "He is my fiancé." The crowd erupted around her but she made a bee line for her man and the world fell away. Her hands held his cheeks softly as she pulled him down for what they both considered their favourite kiss. It was a gentle meeting of lips and skin and breath, and electricity flowed through their fingertips, heightening even the smallest of moments. It _was_ only a moment before they sought more and they fell into each other, arms and hips pressing firmly to each other like they couldn't stand to be apart. It was only a need for oxygen that separated them enough to breathe each other in. They rested their foreheads against each other, falling back down to reality in time to hear the wolf whistles and groans of disappointment from the crowd around them.

Kate lowered her voice so only her could hear her. "I hardly think this constitutes a 9-1-1 text."

"You should have been here when they took out the security guards."

She pulled back but couldn't hide her smile. "Yo really _do_ attract all the crazy ones."

"Including you?"

"Duh." She gave him a quick peck before prying herself away from his comforting arms.

However, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, completely lost to the still-gathering crowd. "Kate," he whispered "I never gave you an engagement ring."

"I know. We'll be talking about that later." She winked before sauntering through the parted crowded and getting in her car to wait for her boyfriend.

Poor Rick stood before the stunned crowd led by one very disappointed and frustrated brunette, gulping before he barely found his voice. "The, uh, signing is uh, cancelled. Pl-please talk to the front desk if I didn't get to you." With that, he dashed out the door and frantically searched for his girlfriend's car.

The next morning the couple sat at Beckett examining page six of The Ledger where a blown up photo of the two of them locked in an embrace filled an entire half page. Everyone was wondering who the mysterious Russian fiancée was. Kate couldn't help sharing a secret smile with him when they read the one line about the inciting involving three women who had apparently snapped under the pressure of a recent job loss and something about needing more love in their diet.

"Those poor women." Castle muttered.

Beckett scoffed "admit it; you _love_ when women fight over you."

He shrugged "as a man I will not deny that" he leaned in closer "but I only like it when you win."

She pursed her lips in a teasing kissing motion but was quickly interrupted from commenting by the dynamic dup approaching the couple, forcing them to fly apart.

"So, Castle," Esposito puffed out his chest, displaying the photo "who's the girl?"

"Just some poor woman with a crush who turned a little psychotic, that's all."

Ryan waved him away "no not her. The girl you were tonguing who says she's your fiancée."

Beckett rolled her eyes, leaning into the group. "Guys, you know it was me."

"I don't know Beckett." Ryan once again displayed the paper. "Last we checked, you weren't Russian and, we _definitely_ would have known if you two had gotten engaged."

The couple instinctually looked around just to make sure no one was within earshot before Beckett turned back to her partners "oh, like you knew we were together?"

Esposito suddenly grew very serious. "So does that mean you two actually _are_ engaged?"

Kate looked over at her boyfriend who was smiling tenderly with nothing but naked love in his eyes. She smiled back "we're thinking about it."

They were both startled by Ryan and Esposito each taking one of Castle's arms and hauling him out of his chair. "Then Castle, bro, we've got to have a long chat about what's going to happen if you hurt our girl."

Beckett just stared wide-eyed as Castle looked back at her with familiar terror in his eyes. As he rounded the corner, she couldn't help but laugh as she sat back down at her desk. This just wasn't Castle's week.


	9. Assassin

**No new episode of Castle but that's okay because I'm still not fully recovered from the sweet perfection that was Caskett for the 100th episode. Those two have honestly ruined me for real world relationships but you know what? That's okay because having different standards and just a different perspective is how we get along through life and having ambition in romance is nothing to be ashamed of, as long as it doesn't go overboard. Love the life you're with.**

***Side note: ignoring the blaring optimism; I've been like this all morning. Just enjoy the chapter. Let me know if you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you next week.**

**Standard proccedure people: follow me on twitter **vatrask **and on my blog** madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com

**Enjoy **

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"You have your assignment?"

Beckett nodded, clenching her jaw. "Yes." Her accent was thick; she felt like she was overcompensating but her employer didn't seem to mind. A Russian was a Russian. It wasn't as though there was much to be seen in the dark room that would give her away – a dimly lit office underneath a successful bar known for its shady business dealing – the perfect place for a sexy girl in a black pant suit and mussed bleach blonde hair looking for a little action. "I'm going to kill Richard Castle."

She hadn't spoken to him in a week and it was killing her not being with him but she had her orders: observe but not engage her target until she figured out his routine. Easy enough to know when he left the house, who showed up at his loft, where he went. The trick was not engaging him. She was watching him all the while someone was watching her, making sure she was who she said she was. They wouldn't be disappointed.

"Castle, relax, she's fine." Esposito had tried to comfort his friend all week but the truth was, he was worried about his partner, too.

"How do you know?" Castle continued to pace the break room. No one had seen him leave the building since his girlfriend left on assignment. Gates, understanding – or perhaps too tired to force him out – let him stay. "We can't contact her; we just have to trust that she'll be okay? What kind of a plan is that?"

"The only plan we got." He tried to be gentle with his friend but his anxiety was putting _him_ on edge. "Now, if you want to help, you can help us figure out why this man wants to hire someone to kill you."

"What did he do to you, anyways?" It had been a month. She hadn't engaged Richard Castle in a month; just observed from alleyways and parking garages, meeting up with her employer once a week to check in despite them both knowing that he knew what she knew.

"It does not matter what he did to me only that he is dead." The pudgy man's accent was thicker than hers, his salt and pepper hair clouding his face with time and money.

"What happened to the last girl? The one I replaced." She played with her coffee cup, trying to appear as casual as possible while meeting with a criminal bent on killing the love of her life.

His eyes grew dark and the coffee shop grew still, or was it just her heart? "You should not be asking such questions. The last girl asked too many questions." She kept her mouth shut. "Now, I have an assignment for you."

"I am not pursuing Castle?"

"He is still your target but I need you to do something else for me."

"His name is Anton Roman." Ryan placed the older man's picture on the board so all passersby knew exactly who they were after. "Russian national, immigrated here twenty years ago and set himself up as the head of the Russian Mob in Chinatown. His daughter came with him." Ryan placed her photo next to her father: a thin blonde with striking brown eyes and a sweet smile no older than eighteen. Completely opposite to her father. "She died in a car crash in '99; daddy was behind the wheel after a few too many to drink and crashed head on into another car. He was thrown from the vehicle but she was trapped inside when the car burst into flames."

Castle's eyes glazed over. "Why does that sound familiar?"

Esposito approached the pair with a folder in hand. "That's because you were there. I checked the report for that night and you were listed as a key witness. Says you saw the accident and helped the woman in the other vehicle escape but couldn't reach Roman's daughter in time."

The group was silent as the events of the past came back to haunt them. "Why now?"

"Roman was hospitalized after the accident and then arrest in 2000 for his daughter's death. Apparently he had a disagreement with his cell mate and a few years were added on to his sentence. He was released three months ago for good behavior." Esposito scoffed. "Word on the street is he's been pulling old favors in left and right to get his revenge. He's washed up but desperate."

Castle clenched his jaw, staring at the photo of the man who held his life in his hands. "That makes him extremely dangerous."

It had been four months. She had been tasked with break and enter assignments, robberies all over New York City, nearly killed a man – though thankfully got him into protective custody first – all committed in the name of the man who wanted Richard Castle dead. Then she got the phone call. She remembered it well because she was sitting in the bathtub in the apartment she'd been living in since the whole thing began, reading Heat Wave, the book that had started it all. She was thinking about him and what he was doing right at that moment. Was he thinking about his death, was he playing laser tag with his daughter; was he writing her another love letter? And then the phone rang, startling her from her thoughts. "It is time. Meet me downstairs in an hour. And dress up. We're going to a party."

If looks could kill, the valet ogling her as she stepped out of the limousine would have been carried out in a body bag. The man on her arm laughed out loud at the pasty blue-eyed man white as a sheet at the sight of the woman in the slinky red dress. The Irishman coughed out 'wow' as she was walking away and she couldn't help but smile. It was almost over.

Inside, the Hispanic security guard gave her a thorough pat-down, subtly missing the knife attached to the inside of her thigh while the man watched anxiously. For a criminal mastermind moments away from victory, he was certainly jumpy. The guard let them pass with a wink to Beckett who returned it with an extra swing in her hips. Yes, it was almost over.

And then the pair entered the ballroom and her breath left her body. The entire room was stunning in a subdued manner. Nothing flashy like the old Richard Castle would have done for a book launch party. No, this was the new Richard Castle who was madly in love and perfectly content with a party of his co-workers and friends and a few business associates in a quiet ballroom, enjoying the company of one another.

A nice quiet place to commit murder.

It wasn't hard to spot him; he stood out – he always stood out in the crowd – it didn't hurt that tonight was his night. Dressed in her favourite suit and his red tie, he still managed to match her dress and stop her heart. She'd seen him nearly every day for the last three months and yet being here, in the same room, she had never missed him so much. And now she was going to kill him.

He spotted her instantly, drawn in by her beauty and the fact that he knew her perfume from a mile away on a cloudy day. No one smelt like her. And suddenly she was there in the room with him, staring at him with those gorgeous hazel eyes of hers and trying hard not to smile because she'd missed him too. But there was still work to be done. But it was almost over.

He tried not to stare but it was hard as she made a beeline for him, never taking her eyes off of him. "Good evening, Mr. Castle." The accent took him by surprise but it was certainly hot. "I was wondering if my associate and I could have a word with you." Oh right, there was someone else in the room. It wasn't the first time he'd gotten lost in her eyes and it wouldn't be the last, if they made it through tonight. For the first time, Richard Castle looked at the man who wanted him dead and he felt no fear; only curiosity and an indescribable level of trust in the woman next to him.

"Of course." He smiled at the man who smiled back with a grin that sent a chill down his spine. He was ready for his victory; he was ready to watch the lights go out in Castle's eyes.

Kate led them to a hallway just outside the ballroom, dark and quiet, held in by locked doors that she secured herself. No one would disturb them here.

They three of them stood in the silence, soaking up the comforting sounds. But the silence quickly became unbearable. "Well, Katya?"

Beckett looked to her employer defiantly, jutting out her chin and standing her ground. "No."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I will _not_ kill him."

Neither of them was surprised when the enraged man suddenly produced a gun from his jacket pocket and aimed it at a confident if not startled Kate Beckett. "I warned you not to be like the last girl I hired, Katya; she defied me and I had to deal with her. Don't make me kill you too."

"Did he just confess to murder?" Castle used a stage-whisper.

Kate relaxed into her hip, unimpressed. "I think he just did." She turned to her former employee. "Seriously? You weren't even going to make me work for it?"

"Lame." Castle agreed.

The man clicked the safety off, more surprised than serious. "What is this? Tell me what this is or I'll put a bullet in your brain."

"Oh for the love of" Kate pulled the knife from the long slit of her dress and imbedded it in her would-be attacker's shoulder before he could pull the trigger. Stunned, the man fell to the ground, the gun skittering across the floor, out of reach. Kate made her way over to the man while her boyfriend looked on, equally stunned.

"When did you learn how to use a knife like that?"

She looked over her shoulder with a delightfully sinful look in her eyes. "There were some advantages to spending four months as a hired assassin. I certainly got some new experiences." She said this while pulling the stiletto knife out of her murderer, wiping it off on the edge of her dress and tossing it in the same general direction as the gun; he was never so attracted to her. He was still gaping at her when she snapped him out of his fantasies by asking for her handcuffs; the one that had been burning a hole in his pants pocket all evening, waiting to be placed in his girlfriend's lovely palm. "Cuffs?"

"Right." He passed them off to her and he was right, they were lovely. Smooth and perfect and leaving him aching for more after not being able to touch her for so long.

"Anton Roman, you are under arrest for the murder of Miranda Marks, conspiracy to commit murder, and being a class A creep."

Roman struggled against his binds just to get another glimpse of the Russian beauty. "You're a _cop_?"

"Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD." She smirked, pulling the cuffs tighter.

"You _his_ cop?" Neither of them would comment but they shot a glance at each other and shared a beating heart. Yes, she was his cop. "But you're a cop. You committed major crimes."

"It was all worth it to get rid of you." She tugged on his wounded shoulder to keep him compliant as they passed Castle, who watched the man with sorrow in his eyes.

He grabbed Roman's arm. "I'm sorry." He ignored Beckett's confused look, looking into the tired man's eyes for some answer of acceptance. He was met with spit on his shirt and a cold-hearted look from a dead man as Beckett pulled him away. She shoved the Russian out the now open doors and into the waiting arms of Ryan and Esposito who nodded to her and then left her alone with her writer.

The couple wasted no time in running into each other's arms, embracing tightly. She squeezed him as close as possible, breathing him in while he did the same, closing his eyes to welcome the new memories to replace the ones he'd been living on for the last four months. He vowed he would never need memories again. "Oh god, I've missed you so much." He kissed her bleached hair and found the strength to pull apart so he could take a look at her. Her face was stained with a few tears and her face was darker from the new hair colour but it was her – Kate Beckett – his beloved.

She laughed through her tears, hardly believing that she was holding him. Pressing her hands to his face she pulled him down for a sweet kiss. The first kiss of lovers finally reunited. The first kiss of lovers that were going to spend the rest of their lives together. "Yes." She whispered into him.

He pulled back, expecting any word but that. "Yes?" Yes, she agreed with him? Yes, she knew he missed her? Yes, she…

"Yes I will marry you." Oh, oh that. He had almost forgotten all those months ago. He'd proposed in a desperate attempt to stop her from taking this assignment and she'd walked away.

"Yes?"

She was glowing, shaking with happiness. "Yes."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Yes!" He threw his fist in the air as he pulled her in for a kiss, deep and full, while she laughed joyously and held on for dear life.


	10. Glechik Cafe

**Alright, the second last Russian-themed story is officially born. Next week is the sexy Russian scene in the Bedroom Edition so if hot foreign chicks aren't your thing then I'm okay if you stay away. But if not, stop on by, I'm really excited about it. **

**New episode of Castle on tonight which is awesome (and we're one week closer to Still and the Season Finale. How crazy is that?)**

**Don't forget to check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **for more writing from the Madame.**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

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"I can't believe you used to come here it's so…not what I expected." Rick wandered around the homely restaurant that looked so calm and peaceful.

Kate came up behind him, bumping his knee into a far booth. "What, you were expecting some seedy bar where I had tawdry affairs as Katya the Muscovite?"

"Well…yes." He picked up the menu but couldn't read it. He was just so disappointed.

"I hate to disappoint you, Castle I just came here for the food."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

She loved when he pouted. So cute. "Because I know you've been having Russian sex fantasies about me since that one time I pretended to be Russian to save your ass and I thought it was time to set the record straight. What did you think I did in Kiev anyways?"

"Well if I had to guess, I would say"

"Michael."

"What?" he looked over to find his girlfriend suddenly very white, pulling her menu open to hide her face from any passersby. "No I don't think you did Michael while you were in Kiev; who's Michael?"

"Katya?" Kate winced and tried to duck down further into the booth but it just wasn't working.

Rick, ever curious, just had to peek out over the side to catch of a glimpse of the man his strong, confident detective desperately wanted to hide from. Blew her cover wide open. "Who's Michael?"

She leaned forward, she they were nearly nose to nose across the table. "I met him Kiev over twenty years ago."

"Oh there's more to that story." He insisted.

Curse him. "I may have told him I was a… hooker." He just stared. "It was a dare from my friend; and I didn't think I'd ever see him again."

"Katya?" There he was, Michael, the one-night stand from a lifetime ago, all hunky and gorgeous with his Russian accent and wavy brown hair, standing before her.

"Michael, hello." She didn't mean to, it was just a reflex. Castle shot her an amused look at her 'reflex' Russian accent.

"How have you been?"

"Fine." Was she sweating? It felt like she was sweating out of her dress. She thought she had buried that life a long time ago. "What are you doing in New York?"

"Oh I work here now. Been here almost ten years now." Perfect. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to travel the world and then settle down in Greece."

She let out a nervous giggle that Rick was never going to let her live down. "I guess things didn't work out like that."

"I'll say." Rick muttered. He couldn't help it, it was just too hilarious.

Of course his comment attracted the attention of the hunk with porn star abs. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've been introduced."

"Right," Kate cleared her throat. "Michael this is Rick, my"

"Let's say handler." She gaped at her boyfriend. He was sleeping on the couch for a week.

"Oh." She watched the implications play on his face. "Oh! So you're still doing that huh?"

"Yup." She breathed; maybe if she breathed hard enough she could hyperventilate and this conversation would end. Quickly.

"Well I guess, if you got it you got it." Please, please pass out.

"That she does." The glare she shot her boyfriend melted the ice in the cups of the elderly couple behind them.

"Well listen, Katya," dear lord, Michael was still talking to her "if you every want a change of pace," He shot an unexpected look at Rick that made the writer jump back in his chair. "Just give me a call okay?"

She took the card and nearly choked on the piece of gum she spit out an hour ago. "You work for the NYPD?"

Rick couldn't help it; he was gripping the table in uncontrollable laughter while several patrons looked on. Michael simply glared. "Is there something funny Rick?"

"Nothing it's just…" he was shaking so hard it was difficult to form sentences. "I don't think she'll be calling you any time soon. Not a cop."

"Rick." She swatted her boyfriend, her face brighter than ever. "Keep it down." He swatted her back, trying – not very hard – to dispel his tears of laughter.

The poor man watching their exchange misinterpreted and leaned over the table so he was right in Rick's face. "She is not your property. She can leave you any time."

He looked right passed him and straight into his girlfriend's eyes. She was pissed off but there was a spark of amusement that he planned on igniting. "Oh she can leave me; but I don't think she ever will." She pursed her lips, onto his game but curious to see how far he'd take it.

"Oh I don't know, Rick." She bit her bottom lip. "I wouldn't mind a change of pace."

"Last night wasn't enough for you?" He mirrored her lip bite just to keep from laughing – and because it was hilarious "That was a swanky place I set you up in." Oh she remembered the hotel room he booked for the two of them so they could take a "stay-cation and just forget the world". It _was_ a swanky place – what she saw of it.

"You are disgusting." She blinked out of her memories when she noticed Michael was still in Rick's face. "I ought to arrest you right now."

"You could." Rick was enjoying this way too much. "But I haven't actually done anything wrong."

"Alright Rick, that's enough." She gave him a sharp look that he seemed to miss.

"I'll saw when it's enough." He caught it that time. "It's enough." Oh right, Michael was still there. Why was he still there? This was getting a little out of hand. "If you'll excuse us Michael we have some place to be right now." Namely, the precinct but he wasn't about to tell mister swimsuit model. There was just something about him that really bugged Rick.

Pool boy slapped his hand on the table preventing the writer from escaping. Kate rolled her eyes, dropping the accent. "Alright Michael that's enough, let him through, we really do have to get going." The man didn't move. "Michael let him through."

"Katya this doesn't concern you, you can walk away." Seriously? The couple exchanged glances over their captor's shoulder. How had this guy made it into the police department?

"Oh you are so dead." Rick chuckled, knowing he'd heard that phrase before.

"Are you threatening me?"

"No. I am." He turned to find a fist connecting with his jaw. Detective Kate Beckett could throw a mean right hook.

The accent was back in full force. "If you come near me or my boyfriend ever again I will have you arrested for harassment." She leaned in dangerously close. "I have a special relationship with the NYPD." She tossed the man a wink as she pulled her boyfriend out of the booth, linking her arm in his.

Again Michael didn't understand. In retrospect he might have been trying to be a good cop but it just came off as annoying. He shouted across the crowded restaurant as the couple were stepping out "if you leave with him I'll arrest you on charges of prostitution and assault of a police officer." The room froze, watching Kate to gage her reaction - maybe pulling away as well.

They weren't expecting an enraged Kate Beckett reaching into her pocket as she stormed over to her prey; well, Rick expected it which is why he let her go. Nose to nose with her target she produced her badge and shoved it in his face. "Detective Kate Beckett NYPD, homicide unit. You are not to bother me or my boyfriend ever again; am I clear?" He nodded mostly in fear for his life. "Good." She stepped back with a bright smile on her face. "It was great seeing you Michael. Until next time." She blew him a kiss as she rejoined her boyfriend and sauntered away from the restaurant.

Rick kissed her cheek "I guess we can't go there anymore."

"Ya, think?"

"Well it was nice what I got to see of it." He tugged her closer to his side "and I did get to know a little bit more about you. Are you just going to let that poor man believe you were a hooker?"

"If he thinks that I'm a hooker than he deserves to be thoroughly confused."

"Well you can't blame him, you could totally pull it off Katya." He kissed her hair when she playfully slapped his chest.

"Just you wait."


	11. Pregnant

**I have to warn you, this scene did not turn out anything like I'd imagined. I swear it started out so sweet and fluffy and then I just let the words flow and it went to a very dark place. If that's not your cup of tea then I totally understand this week. And before people say it, I realized Beckett is a bit out of character but there was no other way to make this scene work.**

**So Happy Castle Monday. Enjoy "Still" and we'll see you next week for a fun scene next week (I promise).**

**Don't forget to check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **for more writing from the Madame.**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

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"We are not talking about this anymore, Castle." She swatted his hand away from her stomach _again_ as they made their way down the street.

"I'm sorry, Kate, you just look so beautiful." The tongue in cheek attitude he'd had in his voice all day was getting on her nerves. Really getting on her nerves. Like, punching him in the groin so he could never have children again, nerves. It didn't help that he was constantly reaching out to caress her stomach every time they were stopped on the street. She knew he was just trying to be comforting and it was cute at first but after twenty blocks, she was pretty much done with him.

"Rick I'm serious, that's enough. Stop touching the baby."

"Baby?" Rick had never been so pale in his life as he had when he heard that shaky voice.

"Hello Mister Beckett." He choked out while Kate just stared wide eyed at her father.

"Hey Daddy." She offered a small, hesitant wave but he didn't return it. He was zeroed in on her stomach. She was barely showing but it made her all the more uncomfortable.

"Did you say 'baby'?" He looked up at her with a mixture of disbelief, pride and terror – much Kate had been when she'd heard the news. "As in…"

"Yeah dad." Her hand fell to her stomach as she glanced over his shoulder to see their suspect approaching them. "Listen I gotta"

"So I didn't get invited to the wedding?" Crap, he sounded hurt. This was not supposed to happen at all. And now he was being all traditional? Of course Kate always planned on getting married before having a child – she'd picked up a few things from her father – but did he need to bring that up on the _street_? When their suspect was right there?

"It was very last minute." She blushed – of course she blushed.

"I can see that." His accusations were attracting attention and their suspect was coming at them faster. Double crap.

"Look dad I have to get back to work, can we talk about this"

"You're still working?" Oh that was definitely not the right thing to say. "Katherine Beckett I know you love your job but you can_not_ be a cop and an expectant mother." And…their suspect heard them – of course he heard them – because he suddenly stopped in the middle of the street, watching them carefully. She needed a distraction.

The tears came quite easily. "Daddy, I'm sorry." She whimpered, squeezing Rick's arm so he'd get the message. "I _really_ have to go. I'm so sorry daddy." She was running down the street and into their suspect's arms before Rick could breathe.

It took him a moment to register his present company and when he did, he gulped; there was nothing else to do but offer a shaky smile. "Mister Beckett." He nodded. "I should also"

"Hold on, Rick." The way he emphasized the 'k' made him jump. He was never terrified of his father-in-laws until he met Jim Beckett. "We're going to have a little chat." Rick whimpered as the man pulled him down the street and into his car. This was going to be a long talk.

Kate watched the two men in her life step into the car and shot a worried glance at her poor Rick before turning back to the man in front of her. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Who was that man?" He stroked her arms comfortingly; Kate shivered. "I thought you said you had no family."

"I-I don't." She whimpered. "He's my ex-boyfriend's father. He's convinced that the baby is his son's." Her head shot up, eyes wide and bloodshot. She was really selling this. "It's not. I know it's not."

"Alright it's okay." He made gentle shushing noises, leading her off the street into the shelter of a random doorstep. "He said you were…a police officer?"

Oh, the panic in his eyes was unmistakable but his voice never wavered. Kate weighed her options and took the best course of action available. "Josh would not leave me alone after we broke up so I told him I was an undercover cop and that I would arrest him if he came near me again." She clung to the man. "I know it was wrong to lie but I was just so scared. I mean, what was _I _supposed to do?"

"It's alright," he smiled "women lie all the time. It's a natural flaw." He kissed her forehead and Beckett almost butted his head. "Now let's get you inside. Lessons are about to begin." He took her around the shoulder and led her into a building two doors down where the sign read '**Redemption and Resurrection Clinic**'; Kate nearly cried real tears.

That night Beckett sat over the toilet like she had every night since the day she started going to that clinic. And like every night, Rick sat beside her with a glass of water, rubbing her back silently. No words were needed, just the need to expel her emotions from the day. After she was finished, she groped for the glass, took slow, shaking sips and even deeper breaths. Finally, she looked up into Rick's eyes.

"I'm sorry for leaving you today."

"I'm sorry for leaving you today." They chorused. They smiled in relief.

"It wasn't your fault."

"It wasn't your fault." Again they smiled.

"I love you."

"I love you." Their foreheads feel against each other and she winced at the bruise on her temple. He pulled back and avoided her eyes. His hand stroked her cheek, caressing her skin, not breathing until her hiss of pain startled him. Oh god.

His voice was no more than a whisper, his heart pulling the volume from his throat. "I am so sorry I wasn't there for you today."

He should have expected it but he barely caught himself against the bathtub when she shoved him back in a sudden burst of fury. "Don't you dare touch me. I don't need you. Or any man." Her eyes flashed black; a demon possessing her bruises.

"No," he approached the tigress with sweet caution. No matter what, she would never hurt him. "But I need you." He saw her jaw clench and her shoulders sink but her eyes still glowed with blurred fury. "I need you every day for the rest of my life. I need you so much it hurts to breathe. And right now I need you to keep me from killing that son of a bitch the next time I see him. Because I will never let any man – any _one_ – hurt you again." He was close enough to reach his open palm to her; an invitation to acceptance rather than forced comfort. She didn't smile but the blackness left her eyes and she brushed her fingers over his skin. Exploring the skin she'd felt and kissed and pressed to her body a thousand times and somehow discovered them in this moment. Her fingers wrapped around his palm and she squeezed so tight that he lost all feeling in his fingers. His eyes never left hers.

Her eyes fell to their joined hands and she felt his pulse beneath her fingers. Keeping her grounded. "You won't have to worry about that anymore." Her voice was barely her own. "I spoke with Captain Gates this evening. We have enough now to lay charges on him. As soon as the warrant comes in in the morning, we can arrest him." She shook her head, trying to reassure herself. "He won't ever hurt anyone again. He won't ever kill…" She swallowed the vomit but the images still flashed through her mind. "Those children." She leaned over the edge of the toilet and Rick came with her, holding her hair back and caressing her back as she expelled the last of her demons. "I'm sorry." She spit into the bowl, not even bothering to flush just yet. "I know this isn't how you wanted to spend our anniversary."

"Our anniversary?" It was months away.

"The day we first met." She stared down at her now flat stomach. "I know you made secret dinner plans for us tonight."

He gently tilted her chin towards him. "There's nowhere else I'd rather been than with you." He promised. "Besides, we're dealing with bad guys; it's what we do."

"Dealing with bad guys." She scoffed. "All thanks to us."

"All thanks to you," he offered her a sweet smile and she took it shyly "my strong, beautiful goddess." She leaned over the bowl just in time.

At six a.m. that Thursday morning Kate Beckett banged on the door of Redemption and Resurrection, her gate poised and tall. The man opened the door with a bright and shining face until he caught sight of the woman at the door. "Kate?"

"Mister Benson can you please step outside?"

He glanced behind to the two police officers accompanying her. "Kate what is this?"

"My name is Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. Please step outside, sir." Each syllable was over-annunciated as though they were difficult to form. Really, she was containing her anger, fighting the urge to spit at the man before her. He stepped through the doorway and the moment he touched pavement she had handcuffed his right wrist. She turned him, pressing his torso into the doorframe, hooking the other cuff around. She held him there. "Eric Benson you are under arrest for child abuse, sexual assault, assaulting a police officer and the murders of Amelia Gardner and Brandon Gardner. You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law." Her own words faded into the background as she summoned the courage in her head to cry _finally_.

When she opened the door to the loft that night she immediately ran into her father's waiting arms. Her tears were spent but her chest heaved with unshed emotion. Regret, anger, longing. "Dad I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you what was going on. Rick and I were supposed to be undercover and"

"It's alright Katie, Rick explained everything to me yesterday. He called me this morning to tell me that you arrested the man and that I should come over for dinner. He just stepped out to buy a few ingredients." His gaze softened. "He's a good man, Katie. Don't let this come between you."

"What?"

"I know you," he gave her that knowing smile; the one he always gave right before a meaningful lecture/advice. "You are so much like your mother – more than you often realize." He led her to the dining room where he pulled out two chairs and they sat together. "About a year after we were married she worked a case. A hard one. Came home crying almost every night though no one else would know it. A child sex offender was on the stand; confessing all his sins. After the case ended, she grew closed off. She finally confessed to me that she never wanted to have kids because of all the cruelty in the world." Kate sucked in the still air around them. "And I told her what I'm telling you now. For all the evil in the world there is always good. For every dark corner that we step into there must be light. There is strength and light and goodness _in you_ and you should – you must – bring that light into the world. Teach our children to fight the darkness." Jim Beckett took his daughter's hand and held it tightly. "Johanna did a wonderful job of doing that with you, Katie, and you owe it to the world to pass that on. One day. I want you properly married first." He caressed her empty left hand.

"Oh daddy" the lock clicked and the door opened and Rick's lightness brightened the room, circulating the air with warmth from the outside. "Rick." She whispered as her boyfriend's head shot up.

"Kate you're home." She stood, stepping slowly towards him, studying his soft features and loving eyes. "Kate what's wrong?" His mind was racing with a million worst case scenarios but hers was focused on a single best case. "Kate what happened?" She was nose to nose with him – well, eye to lips with her shoeless height difference. Still battered and bruised, she reached up a hand to caress his cheek while he dropped the groceries, panic shaking his bones. "Kate?"

"I love you." She pressed her lips to his, ignoring the sting. "I love you Rick Castle." She announced, only to him. She knew her father would turn away and step into another room. "I love you and one day I'm going to marry you and then we're going to have a child and between the two of us that child will never know sadness and death except in the context of goodness and _hope_ that our child can bring to world. How does that sound?" His response was to kiss her. So sweet and so fully that neither of them heard Jim Beckett pause to smile at his daughter and future son-in-law as he left them in peace.


	12. Cheesy Pickups

**Happy Castle Monday! The second last Castle Monday. Wow! Does anyone else feel like this season has just flown by. This what love must be like, the entire world is just a blur and time moves so quickly when you're having fun.**

**Speaking of fun: ta da! This piece is really just a bit of silly to counteract all the negative feelings I had while writing last week's piece (not that many of you reviewed to give me your opinions). It's starting to get really annoying guys. I know you're reading it and you can't all be completely indifferent to all the different scenes I'm writing, it's not too much to ask for a review. This is just like any other piece of fiction.**

**Standard proccedure people: follow me on twitter **vatrask **and on my blog** madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com

**Enjoy **

* * *

She turned at the wolf whistle from the other end of the bar. She'd been hearing them all night as the room progressively got more and more drunk but this man was going to make a scene, she could feel it. Not that she could blame him. When dressing for the evening, she'd opted for tight. And it had so far had the desired effect on many patrons.

"Damn girl," he nearly shouted over the crowd, "did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" Someone beside him threw a few beer nuts at him, disappointed but Kate just smiled.

"Aw," she teased "you're so sweet you're putting Hershey's out of business."

Taking that as an invitation, the man made his way over to her while the crowd of barflies looked on.

"If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd out U and I together."

"I think there's something wrong with my eyes because I can_not_ take them off you."

A few men snickered and the bartender placed a glass of water in front of them both. "You know beautiful is my favourite colour."

"That's not a colour," Kate placed the glass to her lips and sipped slowly, her eyes never leaving his.

"But it's the colour of your eyes." A wave of 'ohhhh's echoed across the counter as the interested party of drunks and bartenders, looked on.

Kate leaned forward, assessing the man before her. He was cute, nice ass, too – she'd have to remember to tell him that. Her decision was made. "I'll show you my tan lines if you show me yours." The bar grew a little silent at her bold statement, looking to the man to gage is response. He was trying so hard not to smile.

Instead he tried to look smug "I'm going outside to make out, care to join me?" He offered his arm like the gentleman he was and she took it with a saucy smile.

"I'll follow you to the ends of the earth." And with that, they strode out of the bar leaving a crowd of very confused patrons behind.

The moment they were around the corner Kate and Rick collapsed against the brick wall, tears streaming in laughter they'd been holding for too long. "Oh that was classic." He gasped, holding her shoulder for balance.

"That was horrible." She laughed through it. "I can't believe guys actually say that to girls."

"Hey" he lightly elbowed her "sometimes girls use lines on guys."

She scoffed "please, no girl has to use a line to pick up a guy at a bar. She just has to look at him."

"That is so sexist of you."

"How is that sexist? I'm just stating a fact."

"A very sexist fact. You were using lines in there too, very risqué lines in fact."

"I was just playing along." She insisted.

"Yeah right." She cocked an eyebrow waiting for an explanation. "Fine, you know what? Next time we do this for date night, I'm not going to use a line on you. _You_ have to pick _me_ up." Oh, he was right in her face – and loving it.

They were nose to nose, looking at each other and facing their challenge head on. "Fine." She bit the 'f' for emphasis. "Thursday?"

"It's a date." He pecked her lips before offering his arm once again, escorting her to their car down the street.

Working on Thursday was made more difficult by one Richard Castle constantly bothering her. That was nothing new, she'd come to welcome it on occasion, but today was particularly bad because the man was positively giddy. He knew that tonight they would be going to a local bar that they'd never been to before, order non-alcoholic drinks and sit on separate ends of the bar. Then, sometime during the night, she would attempt to use the cheesiest, most ridiculous lines to get him to go home with her. Of course he would go home with her regardless but he was just so excited to see what she would do.

Kate was less enthusiastic. She'd spent the last three days trying to figure out some good pickup lines – one that would keep Rick's mouth shut about this whole affair. She wasn't even sure why they'd started it in the first place. This would be their sixth date that they spent in a new bar pretending like they didn't know each other. Admittedly it was a little fun but it was also enlightening. She hadn't gone to a bar to find a guy in a _long_ time. How did she do this in the first place?

"Thinking about how you're going to woo me, detective?" He came up behind her while she signed paperwork at her desk. She was praying for a murder at this point so she had an excuse to get out of the precinct.

"No," she growled under her breath. He'd been reminder her about their date tonight _all day_. She needed to get him back no matter what. "Thinking of a way to shut you up."

He invaded her personal space as he always did, placing both hands on her desk and coming up to her ear. "I know the perfect way to shut me up." He declared just for her. "Unfortunately you said I wasn't allowed to touch you at the precinct. Not the way I want to."

Damn it, she was blushing. Curse that man and his hot breath in her ear. Damn her inability to take him to a back room and ride him into oblivion. She _had_ to get him back.

They arrived separately as they always had, him taking a seat near the end and her…nowhere to be found. He ordered a coke and waited. Two women approached asking if he was the famous novelist Richard Castle and for the first time in his life, he lied and sent them away. Tonight, he was anonymous, waiting for the love of his life to walk through the door any second now.

An hour passed before she finally appeared in the doorway with a woman he vaguely recognized as an old college friend Kate had recently reconnected with after she witnessed a murder. Okay, she was using an outside party in this one, okay. He'd play along.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye for twenty minutes while she did the same, each time turning back to her friend – Jordan? Jamie? Something with a 'J' – giggling and biting her lip in that sweet, saucy, irresistible way. Finally, with a push from J, Kate jumped off her barstool and shyly approached her long-term boyfriend. He prepared for the worst – or the best.

"Hi, sorry to bother you but," she turned back to J who was smiling casually "my friend wants to know if you think I'm hot."

"Uh," he wasn't not expecting that. What was he expecting? "Yeah I guess you are."

God she was blushing, could she get any hotter? She leaned forward, gaining a little confidence. She just looked so nervous. "Good, because your eyes are bluer than the ocean and I'm lost at sea." She giggled to herself and he just stared on. Was she actually this bad or was she acting. She'd never been the one to initiate contact on these dates; maybe she was out of practice.

"Oh really?" He paused when he realized she was staring at him rather intently. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No it's just, you look so familiar."

"Let me guess," he smirked "I look just like Richard"

"My future boyfriend." She snapped her fingers. "That's exactly who you look like."

"A-wha? Um…" She laughed this time, a sweet, fake flirty laugh. One he only heard when she was putting on a show.

"Look, I promise no more pickup lines if you let me buy you a drink; deal?" He could only nod. She looked at the bartender and he was instantly hers. "Whisky on the rocks please." She tossed the poor man a wink before turning back to Rick who would later concede that she was right about her 'look' theory. While the bartender went to do her bidding she turned back to Rick, her nervousness back with a cute bite of her lip. "Can I be honest with you?"

"Sure." He cleared his throat to dispel the squeak. "Sure."

Again she grinned shyly. "I came over because I thought you were really cute and I think we might hit it off but I'm a little nervous."

Well duh. "What about?"

Kate took a deep breath and he knew he was in trouble. "I mean, we could hit it off really well, end up having a few drinks, next thing you know you're giving me your number because I'm too shy to ask for it, I finally get up the nerve to call and we take in a movie, have some dinner, I relax, you relax, we go out a few more times, get to know each other's friends, spend a lot of time together, then finally have get past this sexual tension and really develop this intense sex life that is truly incredible, decide our relationship is solid and stable, so we move in together for a while, then a few months later get married, I get a promotion, you get a promotion, we buy a bigger house. You really want kids, but I really want freedom, but we have a kid anyway, only to find that I am resentful, the sparks start to fade and to rekindle them we have two more lovely kids, but now I work too much to keep up with the bills, have no time for you, you're stressed and stop taking really good care of yourself, so to get past our slow sex life and my declining self-confidence I turn to an outside affair for sexual gratification. You find out because I'm careless and a lousy liar, you throw me out (justifiably so) and we have to explain to the kids why mommy and daddy are splitting up. That's just too sad. Think about the children. For God's sake, if we hit it off, let's just keep it sexual, because we both know where it's going." He wasn't sure if there was more to her line but he couldn't help himself. He cupped her cheeks and pulled her forward for a long hard kiss that left the entire corner of the bar in wolf whistles and cat calls. When he finally pulled away she sunk back into her stool, he eyes still closed, neck still keening toward him. She blinked her eyes open.

"So does that mean you're going to take me home tonight?" She smirked. The entire bar waited for his response.

He pulled his keys out of his pocket and tossed them to her. "You're driving. I'm in the mood for a little payback."


	13. I Don't Love You

**We're back with a longer one, ladies and gents which is awesome because I feel like I need to be writing more anyways. The thing about this one is I want to take the concept and turn it into a full fic so if you like this story makes sure you follow me and I'll start writing this probably in July as June will be a crazy time for me with my novel writing and trying to remember how real life works.**

**Apparently I need to warn you that there's Josh in this fic and there's some angst ahead but there's also a fluffy ending that could potentially take place in Season Six because there's a [spoilers]!**

**So anyways, read and review and good things will come to you and all that jazz.**

**Standard proccedure people: follow me on twitter **vatrask **and on my blog** madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com

**Enjoy **

* * *

Her heart was broken. Or breaking. Or something equivalent to reaching a hand into her chest and ripping out her heart because the way he was looking at her now made her want to run away. Maybe if she ran she wouldn't have to stand here in the middle of the street just outside the hospital where he'd just been released. She wouldn't have to look him in the eyes knowing her hands were shaking too hard to comfort him like she so desperately wanted to. If she ran, he wouldn't see the tears boiling up behind her eyelids, begging to be freed into the cruel world.

"Rick, I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry."

"You're saying it's over?" He rolled his shoulder, hyperaware that everyone was watching him; the man with his heart on his sleeve getting it thrown back at him. "Because of a sprained wrist? Kate, accidents happen, this wasn't your fault."

Somewhere in the inner monologue she was running over and over she knew he was right. "That's not the point. The point is, you're stupid and reckless and…" she swallowed down the voice screaming 'liar'. "and I can't have someone like that on my team."

He stared at her, those baby blues that saw through her every defense – her every secret – and tore down all those damn walls. The eyes that looked at her like she'd shaken his world to its core and punched him in the gut. No, she'd seen him get punched in the gut. This was worse. "I thought we were passed this, Kate. I thought that I had proved to you that I'm more… that I'm more. I'm more because of you and why the hell is this coming up now?" And in an instant, his eyes grew dark and his back straightened and he fought back. "Why have you decided after all these years that you don't want me around?"

"I told you, you're"

"I've always been stupid and reckless but I'm stupid and reckless for _you_, so what's changed, Kate? What made you wake up today and decide that today's the day you don't want me as your partner anymore?"

He wasn't going to make this easy was he? If he had been complacent like she'd rehearsed they could just go their separate ways. But he had to bite and scratch and kick until he made his point. Stubborn, hopeless man. "I never wanted you as my partner, that's the point." They were toe to toe; close enough to kiss but her crisp words murdered any hope of redemption. "You just waltzed into my life one day and decided that you wanted to play cop and I had to go along with it. And you stayed and you stayed and you pried into my private life and kept picking at _my_ scars until I gave up and decided that pretending to love you as much as you loved playing cop was easier than trying to constantly push you away. Well no more." They were breathing the same air, holding the same breath, breaking the same heart. "The mayor is gone, the captain wants you out. And now so do I."

"Ka-kate what's going on?"

She closed her eyes, she wouldn't have to see him and he wouldn't see her quivering chin against her clenched jaw or her white knuckles. "We're breaking uh." She chocked on her words, spitting them out in a haste for closure. "up. We're breaking up."

He grabbed her shoulders, hissing at the pain in his wrist and jolting her eyes open. The fear in his eyes was almost her undoing. "No, I mean this isn't you. Is someone making you do this, Kate?"

In her mind, her eyes are so full of tears she couldn't see him but unfortunately, she maintained composure, looking through him with clear eyes, clouded over with the injustice of doing this out in the open. She had hoped he would take it better if they were in a public place but he wasn't – of course he wasn't. "I'm sorry, Rick. I'm so sorry."

"No, this-this isn't you. This isn't us. Something is going on if you tell me we can"

"I don't love you."

And the world stopped. For just a minute, the world around them stopped turning while he tried to let her words seep into his skin.

"I never loved you. And I'm sorry I hurt you but"

"Why are you doing this?"

The intensity of his eyes was too much to bear and so she looked away and made eye contact the other man. The one she had actually come to see; the one in scrubs exiting the hospital on his break. Perfect timing, almost like it was fated or planned. "Josh."

He couldn't keep his eyes off of her, afraid she'd run or hide or disappear like she'd never existed, like she'd never stepped into his life and changed him forever; like she wasn't trying to walk away now. "Josh? Your exboyfriend Josh?"

She swallowed, returning to the remains of the man before her. "I still love him."

"What?"

"I never stopped. We had something good going and you and your _stupid_ emotions got in the way of everything."

He scoffed, or tried to with a closed throat and tears in his eyes. "Now I know something's wrong."

"The only thing that's wrong is that you still don't get it. We're over. We never should have started in the first place."

"No Kate" he reached for again but she sidestepped him so their positions were reversed.

"Go home, Rick. Heal your wrist." She almost replaced it with broken heart until she realized just how close that statement was. "I don't expect I'll see you ever again." She stalked away, her head held high, tears shaking her body with the weight of them. His cries after her barely registered except to shoot an arrow through her heart with each syllable. She didn't stop until she reached her car and she slid into the driver's seat, locked her door and collapsed against the steering wheel.

It seemed so unfair for the sun to be shining while his world came crashing down around him but the world moved on and the people passed him and he somehow knew that Josh Davidson was still watching him from the hospital door. He turned around and he was alone.

Kate blindly reached into her pocket out of habit when it vibrated indicating a new text message. It was from him.

_Are you okay?_

_-Josh_

A fresh wave of tears wracked her body until she was too exhausted to move. She cried until the emotions of the last lifetime were expelled from her body and she had to figure out her next move. She texted back through bleary eyes.

_Can you come over later?_

* * *

The crowd parted for Kate Beckett as she stormed through the precinct and straight to her desk without a second glance at the terrified officers around her. All she could see was Rick's face. So sweet, so open, so hurt at the words that had come tumbling out her mouth in her need to be anywhere but outside that hospital. She slammed drawers harder than necessary and nearly tore a seam in her overpriced coat but she barely noticed over the echoes of Rick calling after her as she ran to her car.

_Kate? Kate! Beckett!_

"Beckett?" God, Ryan sounded _scared _of her. What was wrong with her?

She closed her eyes to dispel the memories, forcing herself to focus on the present. "What Ryan?"

"I take it you talked to Castle?"

She flinched. Oh yeah, she talked to Castle. And yelled and bit and clawed. "Yeah. It's done."

He tried to reach a hand out to her but years of comradery and even longer in Catholic school taught him not to touch. "I'm sorry"

She slammed her chair against her desk, not finding the strength to sit down. "I don't want you to be sorry I want this to be over." She couldn't be here, not out in the open like the gaping wound she felt like; stinging and raw, bared for the world to see. She grabbed her empty coffee cup left stained on her desk from yesterday. Yesterday, when everything didn't feel horrible and she didn't have the sudden urge to run home. _Josh will be here soon._ She tripped as she rounded her desk on the way to the break room, staring at Castle's chair longer than necessary. The damn thing was mocking her.

Ryan followed her into the break room, Esposito slipping in behind and closing the door. The stares would subside soon enough. "Beckett it had to be done."

She tossed the mug in the sink, careful that it didn't shatter for fear of metaphorical overload. "I know that. I just wish I could have told him what was going on."

"You know there wasn't enough time. He was still in the hospital when the call came in and you were a last minute decision." Javier Esposito: master of comfort.

She wanted to glare at him but she knew he was trying to keep her level headed. Breaking up with a man when she meant to break up with him was hard enough, but having to push him away when all she wanted was to fall into his arms? It took a lot out of her. "Why can't I tell him now?" Oh god, she was whining wasn't she? Castle had really rubbed off on her. Her chest collapsed from the weight of her heavy heart.

"Because Josh is going to be in your life for the next while. We can't risk him finding out that he's under investigation. You just have to tough it out."

"Well maybe one of you guys can tell him?"

"Not if you want him to stay out of your way during the investigation." Esposito offered her a weak smile.

"Look, Beckett we're sorry. This isn't a good situation for any of us." Ryan was trying his best to be sweet. "You know this is the only scenario that guarantees success. It won't be for very long and once it's over you and Castle can probably take a vacation or something and work it all out."

Her shoes suddenly became the most interesting thing to her. Leaning back against the counter, she worked hard to maintain her composure. "You didn't see his face; I don't know if he'll ever forgive me."

"Are you kidding me?" Esposito laughed. "The man always comes back. He loves you and he'll understand."

"Guys, I said some things – _horrible_ things. I don't think"

"Beckett." LT stuck his head through the door with an almost dark expression. "There's someone downstairs who wants to see you."

It was her greatest dream and her biggest nightmare, thinking that Castle was downstairs waiting for her. Thinking he'd come back for her. "Wh-who?"

"Josh Davidson."

* * *

"It was all a lie? You bitch." She wasn't expecting him to throw a punch at her but really, she should have. All the things she said and done over the last three months would make any man believe she had fallen back in love. Of course she should have expected this new Josh to hit her squarely in the jaw, knocking her into the concrete wall of the parking garage where three officers tackled him before he could take another breath. More than a little disoriented, Kate allowed her boys to handle the rest as she wobbled her way across the cement underground to where her motorcycle was parked. While Ryan read the former doctor his rights, Esposito followed Beckett.

"Hey, are you alright?"

They took places beside each other against the side of the bike, not needing to look at each other. She wiggled her jaw. "Yeah I should be alright, just took me by surprise."

"That's not what I meant."

She risked a glance and saw him patiently watching her, something he rarely did. He just waited until she smiled and turned away, shaking her head. "I messed things up big time."

He bumped her shoulder, offering her a comforting smile. "Nothing you can't fix. Now come on, let me drive you back to the precinct, you're in no condition to drive that death trap." She gaped at her partner and followed him.

* * *

His head slowly came up as the elevator chimed and flew open and pushed him out onto the humming floor of the twelfth precinct's homicide division. Crowds of officers and detectives passed him by, a few pausing to nod at him with familiarity and a twinge of sympathy. It seemed everyone knew the current situation – or maybe they just noticed he hadn't been around the precinct for the last few months. It was like all those summers ago except worse, much, much worse. He barely took notice of them as she came into view.

She was walking back to her desk with an ice pack to the side of her head. His heart stopped but his feet ran straight to her. "Kate?"

"Castle?" She turned and her heart stopped with his. The crowd parted for him as he rushed to her side, instantly inspecting her face and neck and wrists and arms for any other injuries. She passed the icepack off to Ryan. She would need both hands for this.

"Are you hurt?"

"What?"

The intensity of the baby blues that she hadn't been able to look at in months was overwhelming; made her want to cry out in relief. "Are you hurt?"

"Yes."

"Where?" He wasn't expecting the punch to his shoulder with her left arm. It stung; more than usual. "Ow."

"My heart hurts." She confessed in such a soft tone that she thought no one else could hear it. But he did; he always did.

He rubbed his arm. "Why does your heart hurt?"

"I just punched it." She blinked up at him, hoping her desire to melt into him shone through her eyes.

Ryan scoffed, waving his hands in disbelief. "Oh come on that was so"

His partner elbowed him lightly, shooting a warning look. "Shh"

Beckett heard nothing because Castle was here, the man whose heart she'd ripped out, and he saw only here. Like they'd never been apart. "You're never this sappy," he scolded.

"It's the concussion." All the colour left his face but she brought up a hand to sooth the confusion in his eyes. "Later," she promised him with tender eyes. "I am so sorry."

He searched her eyes for a reason but then looked down at her left hand and he felt the world crumble beneath his feet. "Is that?" He swallowed his heartache "Did Josh give you a ring?"

She wanted to laugh and cry and call him such an idiot. "No, this is"

"Then why are you sorry?"

"For hurting you." She hung her head ashamed. "For making you think I didn't love you."

"I never doubted you."

Her head shot up and all the words, all the horrible, horrible words came flooding back and she couldn't think straight. "Huh?"

"I know you Kate, even if all those terrible things you said to me were true, you'd never hurt me like that." He held her hands up, running his fingers over the soft skin for the first time in so long. How he had missed those strong, wonderful hands. "I don't know what's going on – I still don't, and we're going to talk about that later – but, I never doubted you."

"I love you." The words were out before she could control them. She'd confessed her love for him before but these syllables slipped off her tongue, heavy and clinging to the air. It was so hard and yet so easy to throw them out there knowing he'd catch them.

He smiled at her with that crinkly smile that turned her heart over and made her want to do cartwheels. That smile that told her they would be okay. "So then is that"

She held up her hand a little higher, admiring the ring that had been sitting on her finger all afternoon. She wondered why she'd never put it on in the first place. "It's _your_ ring Rick, the ring you gave me before all this happened."

And then the sudden urge to kiss her made him recognize his surroundings and remember that they were, in fact standing in a crowded room of police officers, most of whom were watching them get closer and closer. "Maybe we should take this somewhere more private."

He tugged her hand but she pulled him back to her. "No, I'm not hiding this. I want everyone to know." She raised her voice. "I love you Rick Castle." She held up her left hand to show it off to the world but her eyes never left his – would never leave his again. "And this ring means I'm going to marry you and we're going to be together forever."

He was jumping around in his mind, his heart soaring around the room, his eyes so light and full of love. He brought his arm around her waist and pulled her close, the playfulness finally returned. "Forever is a long time, what if I want out?"

"Too bad, because I have a gun and you don't really have a choice."

He could kiss her right now. "Oh okay then." And he did. And it was splendid and wonderful, and fireworks shot through the sky as he pulled her close and refused to let her go until the room erupted in cheers and whistles and one Kate Beckett hummed in happiness. He finally, finally released her but only long enough to glance over at Captain Gates who was leaning against the doorframe with her hands crossed over her chest.

"Captain?"

"Yes, Mr. Castle?"

"Permission for Beckett to have the rest of the day off?"

She glared but the years had removed much of the darkness, leaving only amusement. "As long as she reports back to work first thing in the morning."

He had already grabbed his fiancée's hand and begun dragging her towards the elevator when he called over his shoulder "thank you, Sir."

The elevator, made perfect time, opening for the new couple in record Hollywood time. "And Mr. Castle?" He looked up even as Kate kept her hand clasped in his and just couldn't stop staring at him. "Congratulations." He nodded in thanks as the doors closed and Kate and Rick lived happily ever after.


	14. Emergency Rooms

**Thank to everyone who reviewed last week's story (good and bad) and I am going ahead with the story but I need some time to plan. After this I've got four more Undercover Lovers stories and then I have that story and an NCIS series planned out for July so maybe you'll review those? PLEASE?!**

**Don't forget to check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **for more writing from the Madame.**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

Kate flew through the automatic doors into the waiting room, buzzing with activity. She by-passed all the other injured emergencies, planting her hands firmly on the reception desk. "Richard Castle, where is he?"

The women sitting behind her palace of white looked up with a friendly, calm face, having done this dance too many times before. She eyed the woman in front of her, the one trying hard not to appear out of breath when she'd clearly run here. She was dressed in a stylish pantsuit with her hair flowing around her hair. She was beautiful despite the worry lines that marred her face. After a quick once over she glanced over at a document on her computer. "I'm sorry miss there's no one here by that name."

Kate ran a hand through her hair, scraping her fingers against her scalp as she slowly paced in front of the desk. "No, that's wrong, he _called_ me and told me he was here." Then she stopped and rolled her eyes, coming right up in the receptionist's face, speaking in lower tones – as if the others in the room weren't watching her. "Can you see if a Richard Rogers is here?"

More than a little put off by the woman's frantic attitude, she broke eye contact with her long enough to glance back at her screen. "Yes I have a Richard Rodgers admitted here." Kate visibly relaxed, sinking against the desk as her knees gave way for just a moment. She muttered 'thank god' and began to head down the main hallway leading to the recovery rooms. "I'm sorry miss, you can't go back there without authorization."

Kate stalked back to the woman, a colder look in her eyes. Producing her badge from her pocket, she shoved it in the woman's face. "Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD, I need to see that man _now_."

That made the woman recoil. "I'm sorry detective, I didn't realize the patient needed police protection, I'll call security."

Kate slapped her hand away from the phone. "No, he doesn't need police protection." Her eyes overflowing with 'please get the hint' "but I need to see him now, please."

"Oh I see," Of course she did. "Well I'm sorry detective; I can only permit family members to see the patient right now."

Oh how she hated hearing her boyfriend referred to as 'patient'. She gulped, her brows furrowing – Castle always thought she looked cute that way – bouncing on her heels to keep from shaking too much. "I-I am family." Castle had said so himself.

"What is your relation to the patient?" Damn, that woman asked hard questions.

"I-I'm" crap, she couldn't think properly, all she could think about was Castle laying there in a hospital bed. Damn that man for doing whatever it was he did to call her while she was at work. All he'd told her was that there had been an accident and he was about to be admitted into the hospital. She had reasoned with herself that if he was able to call her himself, it couldn't be that bad. That calm had lasted until she'd pulled up to the hospital and the wave of worry washed over her. "I"

"She's his wife." Like an angel in giant hoop earrings and leopard print, Martha Rodgers appeared from around the corner, wringing her hands to dry the excess moisture from her hands. Too much hand sanitizer. "Oh Katherine, darling, I'm so glad you could make it here so quickly." Too stunned to speak, Kate watched the old her woman come around to her side, slipping her fingers through the detective's.

The receptionist eyed them skeptically. "His wife?"

"Yes of course," Martha held up Kate's left hand, revealing the diamond ring that seemed to fit just right. When had that gotten there? The moment of panic for Kate was extending into a day of panic. "Obviously she's a bit concerned for her husband so if you would just let her back?" The receptionist waved the pair away, obviously not completely convinced but if the mother vouched for her, what did it matter?

Martha tucked Kate's arm into hers, pulling her tight to her side as she led the detective to her boyfriend's room. "I always keep a spare ring on hand just in case some of the men-folk get too clingy, you know? You can keep that one." Kate just smiled and nodded. What?

The woman dropped Kate off at Rick's door vowing to come back later to take her to dinner, leaving her to stand awkwardly in the doorway of the corner recovery room. It was big and a large window brought so much warmth into the room that the lights were useless but still burning electricity. In the middle of the room, sound asleep was a very pale looking Richard Castle – or Richard Rogers as it were – lying on his stomach with his face away from her. Wires and tubes signaled a steady heartbeat and what she assumed were pain killers being pressed through his body. He was alive. She would kill whoever did this to him.

"No need for violence, detective, I did this to myself." She startled out of her thoughts thinking she'd see his smiling face but she still couldn't see his face. Of course she'd said it out loud; she could never watch her mouth around him.

Sighing, she walked over to the free side of his bed and sat down, inspecting his shaking hands. Up close he looked a lot worse, his eyes were gray and tired and his limbs were cold to the touch. Then there was the line of bruises and cuts down his back marked with strips of bandage here and there. "Rick, what the _hell_ did you do to yourself?"

He offered her a weak smile before he winced and hissed. "I fell." She stared until he continued. "From a fence." Again. "An electric fence."

"Idiot" he hissed when she slapped his shoulder and she immediately reached a hand out to gently sooth the skin. "I'm sorry," she pressed a kiss there "what the hell were you thinking?"

"It was research?" Of course it was.

She sighed "what are you having Nikki do now? Get herself killed?"

He winced but not in pain – although he was in a considerable amount and the fact that his sentences were coherent thus far was astounding. "It wasn't for Nikki it was for Rook." Oh and he was blushing now; the heat from his cheeks was radiating compared to the rest of his body. "I wanted to see if he could climb a fence and I didn't read the signs properly."

Kate ran a hand through his hair, doing her best to comfort him with still the threat to kick his ass. "Why would you do a thing like that?" He was suddenly so quiet, the deafening noise from the heart monitor startled her. "Rick?" He wouldn't dare look at her. "Rick why did you do this?" Thank goodness it wasn't her heart hooked up to the monitor or the nurse would have been called in.

"Rook isn't as young as he used to be…and neither am I." Her insides were collapsing, melting into a drum of 'oh Rick'. "I just wanted to make sure I-he could still do it."

The fingers in his hair, pressed harder into him, turning her neck so they were eye level. "Rick, you're an idiot. My wonderful, foolish, crazy idiot." She kissed his cheek. "You aren't too old to come and work with me at the precinct; you aren't too old for _me._ I don't know where this is coming from but I don't think my heart can take much more. We're all getting older. The idea is for us to grow old _together_."

He sighed, leaning into her hand, until he felt cool metal against his skin. "Kate?" He eyed the ring with elements of panic, fear and admiration. "Why is there a ring on your finger? Did I forget our wedding?"

She smiled softly. "No, Martha gave me a ring to get me passed the front desk. Receptionist wouldn't let me passed because I wasn't 'family'." He groaned for her as she tried to pull the ring free from her flesh.

"I already told you, you're family."

"Not in the eyes of the government." She reminded, grunting at the stubborn flesh before giving up. The ring wasn't coming off her finger. She tilted her head. "Your mother is just as crazy as you are."

He peeked an eye open at her. "She's your mother-in-law."

She wanted to smirk but most of her was just so stunned by how casual this whole conversation was. Maybe it was the pain meds. "Not yet." She patted his cheek. Her decision was made long ago. "Soon." Yes, soon.


	15. Old and Grey

**So I was waiting for reviews to come in this morning and then I realized it might help if I had actually uploaded the story. Mondays without Castle are a little crazy for me. Speaking of which: how is everyone coping on hiatus? **

**Yeah that's what I thought.**

**So anyways, this is the second last chapter of Undercover Lovers and then this story is done (baring some random spirts of inspiration here and there. Thank you guys for being awesome. This particular story is based on a prompt a friend gave me about seeing Castle and Beckett disguised as old people. I struggled with finding a logical explanation and then thought 'screw it, I'll just write this' so this is what we have. It's quite...unique so please only constructive criticism. "Please edit" is not constructive because...I know. Anyways, enough with the long antics. On with the story.**

**Don't forget to check out **madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com **for more writing from the Madame.**

**Anyways, here you are (and PLEASE review). Oh, and follow me on twitter **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

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Beckett closed the interrogation door behind her as she met her boys in the hallway. Through the door the shouts of the elderly man in his outdated clothes could be heard; warning Castle and Beckett to tell the truth or else. It would have been so easy to dismiss their suspect. He was in his mid-eighties, had been released into the care of a mysterious, privately funded medical facility, and his mind had clearly abandoned him for greener pastures several years ago.

"He was the last one to see our vic alive and he admitted to having a standing feud with him." Esposito recapped "Even if he didn't do it, he has to know more than he's saying."

Beckett threw her hands up as she stalked into the break room, her three ducklings trailing behind as always. "I know, but he's insisting that he won't tell us anything until we admit the truth."

"Why does he think the two of you were patients in the medical facility?" Ryan leaned against the counter while Castle moved around Beckett, making her cup of coffee while she busied herself making his. It was an unconscious thing they'd started doing several months into their relationship and while it had started out sickeningly sweet, it had become routine. Like everything they did together. Ryan always teased that they acted more like an old married couple than he and Jenny. It usually didn't go over well.

"He insists that our older selves were there with him being _experimented on_." Beckett huffed shoving the freshly made espresso at his chest "I just need him to trust me."

"Well what if we do what he says?" She turned to her boyfriend, Castle squared his shoulders, falling into theory-building mode easily. "What if we make him think that we're the younger versions of the people he saw in that facility and then start aging forward slowly so he believes us?" He sipped his coffee so smugly, he almost missed the matching looks of disbelief on his colleague's faces. "What?"

Beckett shook her head. "That's actually a…good idea, Castle."

He pursed his lips, taking a long sip of his coffee. "Don't look so surprised, Detective it's been known to happen on occasion."

She raised her mug to clink with his. "Well then, I have a plan."

They strode back into the interrogation room, shuffling their feet. Their shoulders were tired and they couldn't quite stay focused but they knew they had their suspect's attention. "Mr. Grady, we need your help." Beckett conceded.

"You're finally going to admit the truth?" His face lit up with excitement at the prospect.

"Yes," Castle joined in, leaning across the table to be eye level with the man. "but we need you to tell us how to reverse the aging process."

The elderly man studied them carefully, making eye contact with each and perusing their tired bodies and withered eyes. They hadn't physically changed their appearance but a little water and red skin was enough for a convincing start. "When was the last time you took your pill?"

"When was the last time you saw us?"

"It would have been eight days ago."

His jaw set and his eyes furrowed "then the aging affect have already begun to reverse. You'll be back to normal before the day is out." His voice never faltered nor did his gaze, so much so that it was near frightening.

"How do we stop it?" Beckett hoped she sounded distressed enough.

"There's no way to stop it. Unless you find another supply of pills."

"And how do we do that?"

"I don't know."

Once outside the interview room, Beckett shook off the dull aches and pains and went back to ordering her boys around. "What did we learn about the medical facility?"

Ryan pulled out his notebook from his pants pocket, flipping quickly to the appropriate page. "Nothing that we didn't already know. Geneco is a privately funded medical organization over in Chelsea that specializes in the care and comfort of senior citizens providing 24 hour care, a specialized team of staff that doesn't seem to exist anywhere _but_ on paper. We haven't been able to find the building they operate out of, let alone get through to anyone."

"Where's the warrant to search their records?"

"Won't come through until we actually have an address."

It only took a moment for her to come up with the next step in her plan. "Alright, you two keep going through. Find something tangible, anything. Castle, you're coming with me." She grabbed the lapels of his suit jacket and dragged him down the hallway and around the corner with very little argument. "It's time to find out what we'll look like in ten years."

Beckett, looking tired and a little wrinkled – and maybe a little bit flabbier – stormed into Interrogation, followed quickly by a salt and pepper, laugh line smothered Castle, looking a little self-conscious. "We need more drugs." She pleaded harshly. "The aging process is happening too fast."

"Yes I can see that." The older man answered wistfully. "Unfortunately I took the last pill three hours ago, just before I was dragged down here by your police officers."

"Where can we get more?" Castle was focused on not checking his older self out in the mirror to inspect the damage his girlfriend had done to his beautiful face. Yes, he was admitting he was vain, but it was a new experience for him – feeling older than he was. His daughter kept him old and his girlfriend kept him young but he'd never felt _too_ old until this very moment.

"At the facility."

"It's not there anymore." Kate stated, trying not to show how anxious she was about getting this over with – or just how badly she wanted to check out herself in the mirror and just stare into time. "How do we contact the supplier? We lost their information."

Grady watched their expressions and finally chose to believe them. "You call Greg Platzner. He's the manager there. I don't have his number on hand."

"Thank you Mr. Grady."

The boys met them outside in the hallway.

"Whoa, you guys look _old_." Ryan snickered, earning a slap from his partner.

"That's the point, bro. So what did we learn from our resident time traveler?"

"Greg Platzner. Run down the name, get us _something_."

"As you wish." He bowed his head turning back to his desk while Ryan followed at his heels.

"Meanwhile," Beckett smirked at her boyfriend "I think we have one more transformation in us. You ready?"

"For you?" He shook his head with a sweet smile. "Never."

He followed her down the hallway with a spring in his step. "Hey, did Grady seem younger to you?"

"It's just because we're getting older." She dismissed, leading him towards the empty stairwell. "Now you might need to call in some favors on this one, it's going to take some work."

Two hours later, Ryan found them lurking the men's bathroom with props and makeup and wigs and between fits of laughter and curious horror, he explained who their new suspect was. "Greg Platzner is an alias used by Doctor Gregory Hines, convicted of fraud and attempted murder in '02. He was released and fell off the map but our con artist, – who kind of sucks at being a con artist – went back to using his old alias and bought a warehouse. He then hired a staff of half-assed nurses and doctors and created _Geneco_ for what one of his nurses described as "genetic manipulation for the purpose of prolonging natural life." Espo and a team of uniforms just got to the warehouse and found it had been cleaned out."

"But if our victim wanted out, I bet the good doctor wouldn't be willing to let him go so easily." Castle turned to his girlfriend who nodded."

"He is most likely our killer but I want to get everything out of Grady that I possibly can before he find him another home."

Another hour passed before they finally emerged from the washroom with matching stunned looks. Beckett's luscious brunette waves were now thin and white, her skin cold and pale, hanging from her bones. Castle's own hair was still thick as ever but all colour and life had fled leaving him tired and small. They had stared at each other for a long time before they found the courage to leave. Beckett had caressed his hair while he cupper her cheek and kissed her softly, whispering just how beautiful she was. It had started out so fun when Beckett started painting lines on his face and he'd whimpered that he was old enough already. She assured him that with her wrinkles they would grow old together, just like they never talked about. It was still a conversation for another day but it was still such a wonder to look in the mirror and see their wrinkled faces smiling at each other like the day they fell in love.

But now they were back in reality and had a very important job to do: convince an 80 year old man that they were the same age.

It seemed as though the entire precinct was watching the elderly couple sneak up the hallway to interrogation but no one dared say a word about the fact that they were still holding hands. They nodded briefly to L.T., the trusty officer who was always there guarding the door, before opening the door to interrogation and freezing on the spot.

"It's about time you came back, I need to eat something, I've been in here all day."

They closed the door and turned back to L.T. "Where's Grady?"

"In there. He hasn't moved." A quick look from the detective and the officer leaned into the room to check on the witness, he turned back stunned. "I swear, detective, he hasn't moved since you left and neither have I. I don't know what happened."

"Detective Beckett, can I please get water, a juice box, something? I'm starving in here. And your pill should be wearing off; if you don't get a new dose you'll end up like Sam."

"What happened to Sam?" It was the first mention of the victim since they'd brought him in for questioning and she wasn't about to let the opportunity pass. She and Castle stepped into the room, closing the door lightly behind them, ignoring the shocked looks from passing police officers. "Tell me what happened."

"He died."

"Yes, I know that but _how_?"

"He aged out." The middle-aged man shrugged. "He went backwards and forwards so often that when he got back to where he started his heart gave out." His clothes fit different, his hair and face were fuller. The only thing that made this man distinguishable as the Grady they knew were the green eyes that sparkled with life beyond his years. "It's happened before."

The couple leaned forward simultaneously. "Tell us about the times before."

The case was closed, a warrant was issued for the good doctor's arrest and poor old Mr. Grady was sent to the local hospital to remove the toxins that were affecting his appearance but not his failing internal organs. As unorthodox as their method's had been, Gates commended the couple on their creative thinking – though she couldn't stop staring at their wrinkled, sagging faces long enough to hold a prolonged conversation – and sent them home.

Once again, the commandeered the men's washroom to remove their makeup which went much faster in their desperation to be back to normal. "Hey old lady," Castle cuddled up to her side, wrapping an arm around her hip and pulling her close. "wanna come over to my place later? We can play bridge and rub ointment on our sores."

She shoved him away with a giggle. "You're disgusting. I want _out_ of this makeup but first" she pulled her phone from her pants pocket "I want a picture of us."

"Why?" Regardless, he posed with her, a smile and an arm around her waist.

Before he pulled away, she kissed his cheek, feeling terribly sentimental. "So I can compare it to us when we really _are_ old and grey."


	16. Normal

**Alright like I said last week, this is the last chapter/scene/story for Undercover Lovers. Thank you guys for all your reviews and for your general awesomeness. This one is...long...I thought you deserved a long one for staying with this story all these months. **

**As far as future fan fic plans go I have one called "P.S. I Love You" which I'll start in July and hopefully updates will be frequent. I also have an NCIS series called "Rule 12" as part of the Alphabet Drabble series (I'll explain more in the description of that story) so if that's a show you watch, look for that every day in the month of July. **

**Other than that, I'm just slowly making my way through Castle hiatus with marathons and writing other things and talking to myself about Caskett. **

**Hopefully your guys's summer is going well. And that your winter is not too harsh for those of you down south. Anyways I think I'll stop talking because there are enough words here for you. **

**Standard proccedure people: follow me on twitter **vatrask **and on my blog** madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com

**Enjoy **

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Beckett leaned against the bar, holding her champagne flute in one hand, her eyes skimming the crowded ballroom looking for her boyfriend. She'd been casually – not so casually – looking for him for the last twenty minutes while she chatted with Mayor Weldon about the recent budget proposal for the NYPD asking her opinion on it. It's not that she didn't like the Mayor or enjoy his company – or needed to stay on his good side – but she hated these Charity Balls and the only reason she was here was because her currently MIA boyfriend had brought her along to keep the gaggles of fans away. It hadn't worked so far.

And speaking of gaggles, Beckett finally caught sight of her illustrious boyfriend on the other side of the ballroom leaning against a side table while a waitress stood in front of him, grinning and not-so-subtly showing off her cleavage.

Ever so calmly the detective placed her flute on the table behind her, straightened her dress and stormed straight across the floor. She barely took notice of the sea of dancers and chattering well-to-dos that parted for the red-faced woman in the shimmering navy dress, glaring at the man across the room. The only person who didn't notice was Castle who suddenly turned to her in shock when she stopped a few feet from him. "Richard Castle what the _hell_ are you doing?" He opened his mouth to respond but before he could even squeak she took a step forward so all he could see was her and the fiery light in her eyes "I cannot believe you dragged me to this function, ditched me and now you're chatting up some blonde bimbo; no offense."

"Some taken." The waitress placed her hand on her hips but had wisely stepped out of Beckett's direct line of fire.

"Good." She didn't stop to even take a breath. "I came here for you but if you'd rather be with someone else then you can find your own goddamn way home." And just like that she was turning on her much-too-expensive heels and storming past the waves of people and out the main doors of the ballroom leaving Rick completely horrified and confused.

Before anyone could dare approach him to ask what the hell had just happened, he decided to investigate for himself and followed his girlfriend out the elegant double doors and into the dimly lit hallway. He moved to rush out the doors and into the chilled evening air when a hand grabbed him roughly from the side and he saw his life flash before his eyes…well, maybe just the evening.

It had taken all of his charm – and begging – to get Kate Beckett to agree to attend the charity ball with him. It was for a good cause, he knew that, but he still hated having to get dressed up and shake hands and kiss babies. The ego boost had lost its magic once he started working with the NYPD. Now it seemed more like a nuisance. But if Kate was there he would at least have someone to distract him from the boredom of talking to the stuffed shirts of upper Manhattan.

So after promising to treat her to an in-house spa day – like that was punishment to him – he finally agreed to pick her up at seven o'clock in a town car so they could arrive in style; so the perks of spending a night out on the town sometimes outweighed the bad. Sometimes.

At 6:53 Kate opened the door to find a dapper looking Rick in a suit and tie, looking just delectable.

Rick, for his part, found himself feeling very underdressed and completely turned on. He unabashedly looked his girlfriend up and down with an awestruck, hungry look in his eyes. There was no way he couldn't admire her beauty. "Wow," he breathed "you look…wow."

She rolled her eyes but the dark colour of her cheeks betrayed her. "Writer's mind at work there, Castle?"

He reached out to run his hand down her side, his fingertips brushing her hips and pulling her flush against him. "It's what you do to me."

She smirked, her hands falling to his biceps "it's not hard to make you speechless is it?"

"Not with you."

She let out a little sniff of laughter before patting his arm and slipping past him, smiling "come on, we've got to go." She pulled the door closed and stepped out of his embrace.

He grabbed her hand to stop her with a sweet, sincere look that melted her heart "You really do look beautiful, Kate."

She smiled slowly, squeezing his fingers and swinging them. "I know. We match." She tugged him along behind her until they reached the elevator and then they were shoulder to shoulder, sharing a secret smile because they were already imagining what they could do to each other after the party was over.

Outside, she hugged herself against the chill of the evening air while Rick rushed forward to pull her door open and usher her inside. He settled in beside her so their thighs were brushing and she rolled her eyes at his less than subtle move. So he was going to try and feel her up on the drive to a professional dinner? Well two could play at that game.

As the car drove off, Kate took a deep breath, ensuring her chest heaved in an exaggerated manner so Rick could see just how tight the bodice of her dress was. She felt his eyes on her in an instant but kept the smile off her face. Barely a block into the drive she decided to up the ante and heaved a loud sigh, letting her fingers fall from her thigh and onto his. He was staring directly at her but still, she kept the smile from creeping onto her face. Playfully, she squeezed his knee and slid her hand up higher on his leg, repeating the motion five times before he finally grabbed her hand and held it where it ways, dangerously high up on his thigh. This time she bit her lip and the corners turned up. As punishment, he removed her hand from his leg and placed it squarely – and forcefully – in her lap, making her gasp in surprise. She turned to glare at him but he had a matching smirk to the one she had worn just moments ago. So the game was on.

By the time the town car pulled up to the swanky hotel Beckett couldn't remember, her dress was around her hips and his pants were practically on backwards. The driver, whom they _now_ realized had seen the entire show, graciously gave them a moment to compose themselves before opening the door for the couple with a kind, if not awkward nod. Rick couldn't even look him in the eyes.

Inside, the ballroom was breathtakingly beautiful but Kate and Rick were still back in that car so they couldn't really enjoy the wonder of it. And apparently they both had the same idea because not moments after entering the ballroom, the couple were turning around and heading back out the door.

"Well there you two are." They froze in the same position, half way out the ballroom doors, panicked, desperate looks to match.

"Paula," Rick plastered a smile on his face in hopes of fooling his book agent into believing he wanted to be here "we were just looking for you."

The gorgeous brunette placed her perfectly manicured hands on her hips and raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Really, because it looked like you two were trying to sneak off without doing your job."

"Paula," he tried to laugh, looping his arm through Kate's and squeezing tight; she was not getting out of this without him. "My job is to write. This is really the stuff that you and Gina and Sloan like to do."

She simply stared at him in disbelief before taking a step into his personal bubble, pointing her dangerously sharp fingernails at his face. "Don't you _ever_ say stuff like that to me again okay?" He gulped and Kate physically jumped back. Not many people could intimidate her but when she was caught off guard like this, Paula scared the crap out of her. "Your job tonight is to shake hands and kiss babies and maybe I'll excuse the fact that 'Frozen Heat' was three weeks late okay?" She patted his cheek but turned to glare at the detective like she knew exactly _why_ his last manuscript was so late. She wasn't wrong – which was probably why she blushed even harder when she looked away. "And you are going to stay longer than half an hour alright? Tonight is the first night in months that you've made a public appearance; please make it a lasting one?" She waved them goodbye as though they were the best of friends and she hadn't just – in her own way – threatened them severely, clicking down the marble steps that led into the grand ballroom.

Inside were people buzzing around, chattering and clinking champagne glasses while a small orchestra played in the corner unappreciated. Near them, an older married couple were slow dancing to their music which made up for the rest of the room in the band's mind. Now in a somewhat less horny state of mind, Kate took a moment to breathe in her surroundings and the utter pretentiousness in the air was enough to make her gag. "Is the room filled with enough perfume and cologne?" She whispered behind her partner's ear. He snickered in return and pulled her closer to his side as they ventured down the steps into hell.

As Rick reached out for two flutes, Kate subtly slid her hand over to grab his ass, making him jump and nearly spill the drinks. Okay so maybe she was still pretty horny. And the less time they were here, the more time they had alone – win-win for everyone. The moment the waiter had walked away with a concerned and uncomfortable expression, Rick returned the favor by cupping his girlfriend's butt as he pulled her flush against his side. She wanted to claim him? He could claim her right back – which was good because there was some shifty guy in the corner that he just _knew_ was ogling Kate. "You know just because everyone knows we're together now doesn't mean you get to grope me in public." He was practically nibbling on her earlobe. "Unless you want to get yourself arrested for public indecency." She caught herself just before she let out the giggle that had bubbled in her chest and she managed to push him away without anyone seeing.

"Rick," she warned, masking it behind a sip of what would not be her last drink of the night.

"But I hate these events." He whined and she rolled her eyes at his childishness, refusing to agree with him.

"Just think," she smirked "as soon as we're done here we can go home."

She almost laughed out loud at the way his face visibly brightened and then darkened to a leer "and what will happen when we get home?"

Oh he was going to play _that_ card? Well, she'd hate to leave him hanging. She leaned over breathed in his ear the very slow, dirty things she was planning to do to certain parts of his anatomy while we was wearing just that navy tie. When she pulled back, the flush had spread to her chest where she felt that familiar tighten of arousal and Rick was glad he hadn't taken a sip; with the way he was breathing and coughing it could have been dangerous.

He took a moment before he leaned over in her ear, his breath heavy and hot against her skin, sending deliciously cold shivers down her spine "how long did we have to stay here?"

She did laugh at that, glad their minds were in the same place. "She said more than thirty minutes." Suddenly Rick stiffened and released his hold of her waist, leaving the entire side of her body cool and missing his enveloping heat even more. "Where are you going?"

He downed the last of his champagne and passed it to a waiter who happened to be nearby. "I'm going to find the most boring person in the room to see if they can talk my ear off for thirty-one minutes." She would have scoffed or scolded him if she suddenly wasn't filled with the image of nibbling on his ear and moving lower down while she slowly stripped him so she could get a _real_ grip on those biceps of his. And suddenly it didn't matter that they were in a public place and whatever happened tonight would be documented by the tabloids, she just needed to have wild, passionate sex with her boyfriend because god damn it he looked absolutely delectable in his suit.

"I'll go with you." The words had just left her lips when she heard her name from behind and she spun to come face to face with Mayor Weldon. Just great. She briefly wondered if it would be rude to tell the Mayor to excuse her so she could jump her boyfriend's bones but when she looked back at the boy in question he was already headed across the ballroom. Even better. The coward.

Twenty minutes of just budget talks and she was done with the Mayor no matter what he said. Of course that was followed by eleven minutes of just searching for her boyfriend who seemed to be nowhere in the ballroom. She had spent the last twenty minutes entertaining herself by taking everything the mayor said as a sexual innuendo and it only served to make her horny as hell and make the poor mayor think there was something wrong with her. Finally, _finally_ she spotted him and instantly she found a way out.

After she stormed out of the room, leaving an entire ballroom shell-shocked, she _really_ hoped it was Rick who followed her out to do damage control. They didn't need it of course – she trusted him – but it would give them an excuse to get away. She couldn't wait for them to get home anymore and if he ran out those front steps, he'd probably head home looking for her so she swiftly grabbed him – choosing not to comment on the unmanly squeak he'd elicited – and pulled him into the nearest unlocked door: an empty conference room at the end of the hallway with a sign that read 'reserved for tomorrow' – or something equally as inviting.

The instant she released him, shoving him against a white-clothed table, his eyes widened in panic. "Kate, it wasn't what it looked like I swear. We were just talking. I had just finished talking to that old couple near the orchestra and at first I thought they were boring but they turned out to be sort of interesting with the their time stories and I was starting to like them so I ditched them and I had just stepped over to talk to her when… you…" his voice trailed off as he watched Kate pull the zipper off her dress and let the silk material slip down her arms leaving her bare except for a thin piece of lace keeping her decent...well, decent was a loosely used term.

She pulled her tongue between her teeth as she blushed at his indecent look making her flush even more. "That's always effective in shutting you up. Now," she stalked towards him until he was completely against the back of the table, all pleasure and no business. "I believe I have a promise to fulfill."

Kate tilted her head to just the right angle when he pulled her back to standing. "What happened to the 'when we get home' part?"

The pointed look she gave him was enough to shut him up. "Do you really want to wait?"

Paula came stalking down the hallway as the couple exited the conference room, smoothing dresses and dress shirts looking satisfied and frazzled. "Where the _hell_ have you two been? I've got a waitress complaining to me about being insulted by a guest and several reporters asking if you two are going to get a divorce." She threw her hands up. "I didn't even know you two were married."

"We're not." They answered in unison.

The agent just fell into her hip. "Sure. So are you two going to join the party and clear this up? Please?"

Rick's arm came around his girlfriend's waist. "Yes Paula, we'll stay for a little longer."

The raven-haired diva shook her head. "Of all the writers I've ever worked with, Ricky, you are by far the biggest handful I've ever handled." Both the detective and her writer coughed in shock but the agent had already turned back to the party.

Alone again, Rick bumped Kate's hip playfully. "What do you say; a few dances and then we'll go home?"

She smirked before bumping him back. "Sure. A few dances. Assure the masses that we're not breaking up." Arm in arm, they stepped back into the ballroom where a handful of eyes watched them walk down the stairs with casual, reassuring smiles. From the corner near the tired orchestra, the elderly couple winked at the pair, making Rick blush harder than Kate. "I suppose we should also let everyone know that we're not getting a divorce." She smiled as she kissed his cheek, convincing the last pair of eyes that there was nothing else to be seen.

They stopped at the edge of the dance floor, observing the crowds, carefully avoiding maintaining eye contact with anyone lest they attempt to strike up polite conversation. "Dance with me." He startled when she offered her hand to him but he just stared at it. "Please? We did say we would stay to dance." He took it then with a soft smile, letting her lead him out to the open dance floor and pulling her close. The passion that had bubbled over all evening was left simmering; soft touches and sweet whispers replacing thrusts and growls.

It felt like a different time, a different place – especially when a familiar tune began to serenade them and Rick began to sing along softly. "I can't give you anything but love, baby." They fell into step instantly, their muscles doing the work of pulling each other close and breathing each other in while their minds raced a mile a minute in opposite directions. Rick was writing out the scene between two young lovers content in the stillness of this one moment amongst the chaos of the world. Kate was running down the road of "could be"s and "one day"s leaving this moment in the dust.

"Rick?" He looked down at her expectantly only to find apprehension in her eyes like this whole situation was making her completely uncomfortable. The urge to wrap her tighter in his arms surged through him but he resisted, waiting for this nervous Kate Beckett, this soft Kate Beckett, to make her move – even if she looked positively lost and unsure in that adorable puppy way. "Do you ever wander what it'd be like if we were normal?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," she wasn't looking at him; she was searching the air around him for the right words. Definitely adorable but he tried not to smile. "what it be like if we could get married and" she dipped her head "do dirty things to each other" he smiled "and just _dance_ like this and not worry that this is going to end up on Page Six. Or that there's some psycho killer watching us right now."

So that's what this was about. He pulled her closer so their words were just for them. "Sometimes I think it would be easier. But then I think, what you do is _incredible_. Extraordinary, even," her eye roll turned to a sweet smile. "and I am very blessed. I get to do something I love and be with the people I love." It was so easy to kiss her cheek and forget the world. "And if that means I have to watch what I do and say in public then I'll take it. So long as we both get to keep doing what we do."

He turned her out and she followed his lead effortlessly, her mind still racing with ifs and buts. "But what if we didn't have to?" She cupped his shoulder blade, hugging him tightly. "What if we both worked nine to five and we didn't have to attend charity balls or late night body drops. What if"

"What if," he dipped her, bringing her back in for a kiss on the nose "what if we were normal? We're just two people out for a night on the town, and we're dancing. Right now."

She closed her eyes as they swayed to the slow rhythm of the band behind them. "Okay." A tired smile graced her lips as she opened her hazel eyes, watching his loving expression. "My parents used to do this. Dance. Every anniversary. They never went out, they just stayed home in their pyjamas as soon as they got home from work. They would make dinner together – though mom did most of the cooking part – and then they would turn on some old records and just dance. When I was little I used to stay up late and sit on the stairs and watch them." She smiled when she looked away, the intent of his eyes a little too much for her memories. "When I got older I always made sure I was out that night so they would have the whole place to themselves. They were so in love." Her voice dropped so low he barely heard her. "So normal."

"Hey," she looked up automatically. "If you are imagining a scenario where we turn out like our parents then I can assure you – with great hope – that neither of us will be exactly like our predecessors. Can you imagine if I had turned out like my mother?"

"Well you're both kind of drama queens." She bit her lip to keep from smiling too hard.

"Hey now I'm trying to be comforting."

"Sorry." She laughed and he swore he heard bells. When had he turned into such a sap? "Continue."

"We can still be in love and pretend to be normal and dance in the living room and make dinner – and you know I can cook – and that's great. But I would never trade what we have for what we could have. We never would have met if I weren't a writer and you weren't a cop."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." He gaped when she winked at him, the smile finally gracing her lips that he'd been waiting for all evening.

"You're snippy tonight."

"Yeah well I didn't get to finish what I started earlier."

One, two, three, dip, he pulled her tighter when she came back to him. "See, normal people don't get to do stuff like that in the conference rooms of swanky hotels."

"They don't?" She looked so disappointed that he was so tempted to kiss away the twinkle in her eyes. "Well then I guess being normal isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Here's to being… abnormal." They stopped dancing even though the song had ended long before.

Her melodious laughter filled the room. "Here, here." She brought her lips to his in a sweet – public-friendly – kiss. "Now, I think I need to go and apologize to the waitress." She pulled out of his arms but he tugged her hand and followed her.

"You _were_ really rude to her."

She squeezed his hand too hard and he jumped but kept pace. "You're going to apologize, too."

"What for?"

"For leaving the _invigorating_ conversation that you so rudely left earlier."

He caught up to her ear and growled low, rumbling through her chest. "Oh you are so getting it when we get home."

"I'd better."


End file.
